Century Breakdown
by SeptemberEnds911
Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world where the Warblers are now dominant rulers and sections of the world are pieced off into divisions of territory divided by Warbler rule and rebel territory, Kurt is the leader of the rebel army, in charge of all divisions and with new comer Sebastian charged with joining his rank, they're going to fight for their freedom.
1. Homecoming

**Author's Note: **So, I'm divulging into a post-apocalyptic fic. I have all the chapters laid out and summarized so, for the most part, everything is all planned and I'm going to try to keep the up-dates steady and not with weeks in between. If all goes well there should be up-dates every four to maybe five days. I hope you enjoy reading it, leave a review or a little comment because I love to know if people even like what I've written or if it's just complete rubbish.

**Century Breakdown: Chapter One: Homecoming**

In all honesty, Sebastian was shocked just by how far he ended up before trouble even came up. He expected it a lot earlier than a handful of miles into the city's limits. So all in all he supposed that he couldn't complain about the fact that it had taken him until he breached the city's entrance and had already gotten deep enough to be nearly at the heart of the city itself before anything even remotely blimped on the radar. Sebastian supposed that he did find it odd that it was so quiet, but he arrived late, when the sun had set and the swirl of pastels faded into darkness and a blanket of stars covered the sky over the city where no city lights greeted eager passerby's or hopeful youths. It was both safest at night and the most dangerous and it was rare that many dared to journey out of whatever crippled building was keeping them safe and concealed from any danger that might have been lurking in the shadows. The only ones who usually ventured out at night where the most skilled at protecting not only themselves but the others around them as well. Those who could slink and mold into the shadows and were rarely, if ever caught, and who were the 'leaders' of their division.

There was the distinct sound of a scuffle and Sebastian knew that it wasn't any of the Warblers catching their evening treat of some kid that had been idiotic enough to go out after dark and who wasn't careful enough not to be caught. No, the echo of a body being thrown into a brick wall and the repetition of fists against bodies was enough of an indicator that a group of guys decided to play it tough and go after one of their own. They probably considered themselves better than anyone else that was in the exact same position as they were and decided to prove it by ganging up on the first person they crossed paths with. They were the morons that weren't going to survive much longer if they kept up that attitude. If you didn't stick with a division and traveled around with a gang of sorts, attacking people every other corner, they were bound to piss off someone with enough power to see that they were seen to so they didn't bring any attention to the Warblers. If they really fucked up it would be the Warblers who found them and then they would have wished they'd been dealt with by a head of division.

Sebastian sighed, resigning himself to helping the poor kid. He'll make it his one good deed for the day, or year.

So now that he resigned to doing this, he was actually doing this, helping this stranger. He also decided that this was either going to be the best decision of his life, or he was going to regret this for as long as he lived, which might not be much longer if this turns out to be a total fuck up.

He headed toward the alley way where the source of it all was occurring, and really, an alley, could it be any more cliche? Add in a damsel in distress, thugs and that makes him the knight in shining armor, he thought with malice. One dismal light flickered over the alley, illuminating the group enough that Sebastian could make out a handful of men surrounding a figure silhouetted in the dim lighting. By the looks of it the person the men were attacking was holding their own well enough, but with five to one odds, it probably meant that they wouldn't be able to hold off to much longer. Idly Sebastian flicked out his the blade he kept hidden in his jacket sleeve, the sliver of silver glinting with the night.

"Now this doesn't quite seem fair does it," Sebastian asked, catching the group of men's attention, "Five to one, really? Neither of you can even pretend that your not so pathetic that you need a group to take down one person," he glanced over to the figure who had shifted so that the lighting illuminated their face just enough that Sebastian could make out their basic features, "And a fucking girl as well? Really? You big guys can't take one girl down?" Sebastian caught the scowl from the figure and he replied wordlessly with a cheeky smirk.

"You really don't need to get involved with us," one of the men replied, pulling himself to his full height, no doubt an attempt to intimidate Sebastian, and not doing too good of a job of it either.

Another man spoke up after him, "We just want to finish our business with this one," he gestured to the damsel in distress, "And be on our way."

Sebastian caught the way that all eyes were on his knife, and he supposed that they didn't have anything on them, only their fists, and the knowledge that Sebastian was armed with a potentially lethal weapon caused them some concern.

Good, Sebastian thought, that means that this should be faster than expected.

"Look, I don't want to be wasting my time with any of you," Sebastian said, his grip loose and relaxed on the blade as he fiddled it around with all the ease of someone who was very much used to handling dangerous objects long enough not to be overly cautious and still be safe with it in his hand. The little movements, quick and sure, of the blade kept each man's eyes on where it was moved to next, "So let's all just break this up before we all get sent to the Warblers," he grinned, "And we all know that it won't end very well for you gentlemen."

One of the bigger men snorted, eyes rolling, "There ain't no Warblers out this night."

Sebastian raised his eyebrows, "Oh are you so sure of that? I just walked in around here and I barely missed them," he shrugged, "Shouldn't be much longer before they're headed this way."

The men were anxious now, openly fidgeting, eyes now shooting back and forth between the only exit out of the dead end alley and the person behind them that they were after in the first place.

"Tick tock boys," Sebastian continued, swinging the knife like a pendulum.

"Come on," one of the men commanded, "There's no use in us getting caught and our necks wrung out."

Sebastian watched as the rest of the men readily agreed, apparently more worried for the Warblers than they were finishing what they started. At least they weren't complete morons, but Sebastian doubted they would live out there much longer, especially if the kid they got to had any kind of connections.

They all filed out of the alley, eyes wary of the knife still in Sebastian's possession, but none of them tried anything so Sebastian waited until they were out of earshot before he turned his main focus back on the damsel he had saved.

"Well, are you going to come out here and thank me or just stand there and wait for the next group to come out and try to finish off your ass," Sebastian demanded, slipping the blade back into the hidden pocket of his sleeve and waited until the figure stepped out closer, not as a frightened rabbit as Sebastian was waiting for, just on cautious feet, which was smart in any situation around here. Rabbit screamed prey, at least this one was alluding the air of a predator stalking it's surrounding before advancing forward.

"And who would I be thanking," asked the figure, whom Sebastian could more clearly make out now that the light was hitting their face more directly.

The person standing in front of Sebastian was male, it was almost obvious, even with the softer features that would be a better fit for a female than any male Sebastian would bother his time with. He was dressed in ripped jeans that fit well against his legs, curving nicely to his body. The shirt peaking out of the leather jacket was much the same, clung snugly, which had to be useful when one was running and didn't feel like being snagged on barbed wire or a broken pipe, as loose shirts were often known for. Sebastian had learned that little piece of clothing knowledge through trial and error when he first ventured out and began his run away from the jacket looked as though it had seen better days, as in, it wouldn't be seen anywhere but some high fashion magazine they made years ago, with the buckled embellishments on the sides and the studs that clung to the lapels. That jacket told more about the owner than the torn jeans and scuffed steel toed boots that laced up his calves. Again, Sebastian's eyes were directed to the strangers face and he caught sight of scarring, not all too visible in the darkness, but Sebastian bet that they would be obvious in daylight. Nothing to gruesome, battle scars maybe, or he managed to severely piss off someone who wanted his pretty face cut up.

"I haven't seen you around here," the stranger crossed his arms in front of him, a protective gesture Sebastian filed, "I would know, I know everyone who passes in and out of this division."

Sebastian smirked, "Do you now sweetheart? What about those men that cornered you just now? Know them too do ya?"

The man straightened up and glared wholeheartedly at Sebastian, "As it is, yes, I do know who they were. Trust me; they won't be getting much farther through this area."

"Oh, of course the pretty face would have friends in high places."

He scowled, "What is your name?"

"Now, do you have to be so rude about it," Sebastian asked, thoroughly enjoying himself.

The stranger only rolled his eyes and stood there, clearly in no mood for games.

"Fine, fine, if you must know, Your Highness," Sebastian let the name slip out with as much sincere sarcasm as he could muster, "My name is Sebastian, and I haven't been around these parts before," and just for kicks he added, "I'm from the bigger city and I just wanted to get out of there and into a...safer environment I suppose you could say...one that wasn't so run by our oh so lovely overlords."

Sebastian waited as the stranger studied him, obviously looking for a lie in his statement. Again, not too dumb, Sebastian had to admit. It would be stupid to outright believe any stranger, whether they helped you out of a corner or not. So he waited as patiently as he could possibly muster as his clothes were taken in. From his own torn jeans, although looser than the man's in front of him, he enjoyed feeling circulation in his legs thank you very much, and ratty, beat up jacket, down to his boots, it would be easy to catch him if he was lying. The Warblers were terrible at sending in spies because they always looked too polished and held that air around them that gave them away so very easily. Sebastian was glad that he was never one for propriety...or posture.

The man nodded, his approval Sebastian supposed, and his posture relaxed, hands shifting to the pockets of his jeans rather than crossed defensively across his chest.

"I'm Kurt," he answered with another once over, "You said you came from the big city? Well then, you've certainly made it far without getting killed."

Sebastian shrugged, "It's not that hard if you figure out quickly enough where you need to be at the different times during the day...or night as it is now. Anyone could make it just as far as I went if they adapted quickly enough."

Kurt nodded, almost absently, as if he really didn't need Sebastian's answer to confirm any details.

"Most people coming from that area are running away from more than just oppression. Usually people don't bother to leave because it's safer in that city than anywhere around here or out in the desert. This city is most defiantly better than journeying out there, but most don't trust the divisions to be able to hold their own, let alone keep them safe enough from the Warblers to even think about leaving."

Again Sebastian shrugged, "Are we just going to stand here until we exchange background information? Because my reasoning for venturing out here is purely for me and me alone. I hated it there and I decided that, although I'm not the nicest person in this world, my conscious and ability to utterly throw away my own beliefs was just too much for me. I'm also immensely stubborn and I do not like to adhere to strict rules that suffocated that city and the other areas that the Warblers control. Is that enough for you Princess or, again, are we just going to stand here all night and risk exposure?"

Kurt sighed, not resigned, but in knowing that he really couldn't keep this up much longer and Sebastian knew he was going to help him out. Firstly, Sebastian saved him from getting his ass kicked and adding to the bruise that was forming on his cheek and the cut on his lip. For another, Kurt already didn't seem like the type to leave someone out where they could very likely get caught. You had to be careful in the unclaimed districts and if you didn't help others out how could you expect the same courtesy to be returned (something the men out there better learn quick and fast before they actually do end up dead.

"Come on, because it actually is coming up to the time where the streets are searched. Fruitless of course because no one really has a death wish and would dare be caught out this late, and they can't search the buildings."

Kurt gestured for Sebastian to follow him as he walked past and moved out of the alley. He stuck close to the buildings on the cracked and pebbled sidewalk, farthest away from the streets. The buildings were boarded up but Sebastian was willing to bet that if there was any sign of being caught, there would be a way to jump inside of one before they were in actual danger.

"We have a few miscellaneous hideaways around here. We have quite a handful of people in this district and we can't fit them all in one area, it's too dangerous to do that in the first place," Kurt explained without any questioning from Sebastian and he wondered why that was and figured that it wasn't bad to get to know the area and the way everything was rearranged, he was planning on staying around, for what he hadn't decided.

Sebastian continued to follow Kurt through the streets and listened as Kurt continued on about the district.

"So everyone is spread out in warehouses, abandoned apartments, and a few of the more sturdy rundown buildings," they veered a sharp right and although Sebastian could keep pace, the sudden change in direction startled him for a moment, "You already know that this is the head district I'm sure, everyone does. Soon we'll have all of the leaders of the outer districts joining us so we can fill out a more extensive plan together. Until then we're waiting things out, trying not to stir up to much trouble around here."

Sebastian nodded absently; it explained why he hadn't heard word of anything going on in the city. It was normal for there to be news reports about the movements of outsiders, but as he traveled there was little, if any, word on their movements.

"So where are you taking me?" Sebastian asked, curious.

Another sharp turn down a road and Sebastian saw that they were headed toward a theater. Old posters and Broadway signs were cracked and shattered, the only remnants of their former glory.

"With me," Kurt said as they neared the building, every movement calculated and sure footed.

"Did I make that good of an impression," Sebastian knew Kurt heard the grin and mocking in his voice when Kurt's shoulders stiffened and relaxed.

"You could be useful," he said simply.

He continued to follow Kurt until they reached the side of the theater building where a battered door stood, nearly hidden against the charred building frame. Kurt took hold of the handle and jerked until it opened, he immediately dove into the darkness allow little time for Sebastian to fall in behind him before the heavy door fell shut with an ominous bang. Sebastian blinked against the dim lighting and managed to trail behind as before.

The hallway they were slipping through was thin and long, occasionally Sebastian caught the glimmer of dulled metal, which he assumed was a door handle, so there were other rooms, none of which Kurt walked through until they were near the end of the corridor where two doors swung open to reveal an old lobby. They stepped through the doors onto tarnished red carpeting and walked under chipped carvings that must have once been elegant in their day, and continued through another set of doors, more chipped paint and rusted metal, to open up to the theater stage.

Amazingly enough, inside the theater looked much more preserved than the outside. Rows of fabric covered chairs lined the ground floor while the box seats above held one row in the front, all were weary torn from lack of upkeep. The floor was stable and you could easily make out the old pattern of gold and green thread against background red.. The original carvings were in better shape as well, obviously scratched up but nothing detrimental to the original style and grace. The stage was barren, the curtains open and hidden away backstage, the orchestra pit was still intact, not a brick overturned.

"Well I can see that this place has certainly seen better days," Sebastian commented loosely.

Kurt turned around to face him, "Have you ever been here before...before all of this mess?" He asked without any heat behind his words, which was what Sebastian was expecting, so it was a nice little twist.

He nodded and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets nonchalantly as he continued to eye the theater.

"Came here a few times with my parents, saw a few plays, musicals. Mom was big on those kinds of things so we came here once or twice a year," Sebastian studied Kurt's reaction, caught a glint in his eyes that wasn't there before. It reminded Sebastian of a child making a wish and when the spark died out it was like the dream had died...which would make sense for anyone in this situation.

"Where you ever here before all of this," Sebastian asked cautiously, he could guess what the answer was but decided that it couldn't hurt to ask.

Kurt shook his head, "Never got the chance," he hesitated before he edged on, "There was an opportunity, once, but I denied it."

Again, Sebastian found himself curious and on edge to satisfy his curiosity.

"Regret it at all?"

"No," Kurt answered.

Sebastian took that to be the sign to end that conversation. He'd maybe save it for later, if he was going to be sticking around here like he had planned, he'd better get to know the people he was going to be with. He blanched at the idea that it meant that he would have to, eventually, divulge his own information as well. For now the little tidbits about before this disaster were the safest for both of them. Sebastian was well aware of his own clean slate, he might have been a little reckless and indulgent before and it certainly followed him after the blow up, but it was nothing he couldn't admit freely without there be any reason for his trustworthiness to be questioned. He briefly wondered if it was the same for Kurt, but he dismissed that prospect. Kurt, scars and hard eyes aside, had that air around him that screamed innocence, ambition and that kindness that meant he pushed his own feelings and needs aside in order to make sure that everyone else was well cared for. Sebastian figured that the first and last idea outweigh the ambition, he couldn't see it getting so far in the way that he would revoke helping people in order to succeed, it never worked that way. And if Kurt was leading part of this mess it meant that his latter idea was probably still in effect and Sebastian was surprised he was even alive, those people tended to die fast and easy because they didn't put as much stock into their own safety as they did their own.

"So, who actually runs all of this side of this wasteland? I get that you're working for him, or her, whoever it is, watching over sections like those you mentioned before, but where is this person?"

Kurt's face twisted into some sort of weird half smile-half smirk thing, like he couldn't decide if he wanted to laugh or look superior in front of Sebastian. As it was, a harsh, quick laugh bubbled out of his throat until it was a full on giggle.

Sebastian glared, "What the fuck is so funny."

Taking in deep breaths, Kurt wiped away invisible tears that threatened to pass behind his eyelids, "You are. Damn, I guess I really should have formally introduced myself, name, rank and all of that formal stuff, but usually people catch on fairly quick, well, unless they meet my second in command, usually he's the one they think is head of this whole 'underground' operation we have going on," spitting out all of that he had finally stopped with the high pitched giggling that was seriously beginning to piss Sebastian off.

"Wait, no," Sebastian said in disbelief, "You're the head leader of this?"

Kurt nodded and a figure stepped out onto the stage. Sebastian looked up and Kurt followed his gaze up to the imposing man, who Sebastian was seriously questioning because who the hell shaved their head into a mohawk anymore?

"Hey Puck," Kurt greeted, "I found another one out wandering about."

Sebastian scoffed and the man...Puck smirked.

"Doesn't seem like much," he called out from the stage, which was seriously unnecessary because of the acoustics, but Sebastian didn't bother pointing out the obvious.

Kurt shrugged, "He helped me out back there, seems to like twirling his knife around, give him a gun and I'm sure he'd do just fine. Besides, it's about time we get someone new around here to help out. We were just talking about getting someone to help me when I go out."

"Wait, what?" Sebastian glared at Kurt, "No way am I playing babysitter."

Puck laughed, "I think I like him already," he said so, but he didn't really look convinced of his own words, "But whatever you want Kurt," he looked back over to Sebastian and addressed him directly, "Trust me, watching this one is worse than a toddler, slips right by you every time and you somehow end up the one shot up to hell and back," he meant it, but he also spoke fondly, like he gladly took those bullets so that Kurt didn't have to and Sebastian questioned what he was just signed up for.


	2. St Jimmy

**Author's Note: ** Holy shit is this chapter long! That's why it took me a week to up-date. Over 7,000 words! I hope you enjoy!

CB: Chapter Two:

Sebastian woke up to the pounding of his own heart. For a moment, in a fit of restless sleep and deep dreaming, he forgot that he wasn't in hiding away in the nearest run down gas station or old house, so that he could live through the night. He freaked out because he found himself slipping away into an unfamiliar comfort sleep and he couldn't risk that while he was on the run to find safety. Any moment uninhibited was dangerous, especially when you were alone and had to stop and sleep before deprivation caught up with you and seriously screwed you over because you were dumb enough not to know that rest was important and needed when you were on the move, always in constant motion. So it wasn't until he was fully awake, no longer wide eyed and taking in his surroundings with a blur of half wakefulness.

He expected to wake up on a dirt matted floor, or some rotted out mattress (which took a while for him to adjust to when he first found himself on the run, he wasn't aware of just how good he had it before all of those fleeting luxuries, such little things like a bed or even blankets, were left behind for freedom). Instead he woke up on a thin mattress on a small iron wrought bed with a thin blanket tangled around his boots (it was always smarter to fall asleep ready to run at the first sign of trouble, even if it meant you were uncomfortable wearing clothes and shoes while sleeping...comfort in general was a luxury few out here people could indulge in). He realized that sleeping on an actual bed was the reason why he was falling so deep into the dreams he never remembered anyway. It was the most comfortable sleep he had had in a long time.

His eyes searched around the tiny room Kurt had brought him to. He and a few others apparently used the old storage rooms and dressing rooms to make actual rooms for people who were passing through into another division. Kurt had also old him that the old attic was fit into an emergency hospital wing, containing the medical supplies to treat more serious injuries. They hadn't had much need of it, but Kurt mentioned that it wouldn't be long until he saw it filled. This room, Sebastian noted, must have been from an old dressing room. The paint was faded, but meant to be a bright cherry color. The floor even still had the thick carpeting, looking old and worn, but still there nonetheless. He could see where shelves and built in privacy partisans were taken out of the room and replaced with the bed. The wardrobe was still there, just a few feet away from the bed, and the long mirror and stretched out counter underneath the mirror were still intact as well, probably more effort than it was worth to tear down. A vase of dead flowers stood on top of the counter, a pile of dried up petals resting at the bottom of the painted vase, briefly Sebastian wondered why they were there in the first place, and then dismissed it as nothing to bother himself with.

A knock on the door startled Sebastian before it swung open and Kurt walked in, tossing something metal toward Sebastian, who managed to catch it, even without any notice of something being thrown in his direction. He held the metal weight in his hands, glancing down at the large barrel and trigger. Sebastian sent Kurt a confused look and received a grin in return.

"You're going to need something more than just that little letter opener around here, especially if things start to get nasty. You won't have to get too up close and personal with the person trying to kill you either, as long as you're not a bad shot," Kurt added in good humor.

Sebastian recalled the hours of training he had received before he had left. His aim wasn't the best, but he always his intended target.

"I think I can do just fine with this," Sebastian said, gesturing with the gun and connecting it to the gun holster he kept strapped to his belt. He had come across a few guns while he was out there and he ended up using up every single one due to a good handful of run-ins with patrolmen or the groups that go out by themselves.

Kurt quirked a brow, "You know how to use it in pressure situations, not just shooting up cans?"

Sebastian scowled, "I know how to use it, no worries there Princess."

"I would ask you to stop calling me that, but if I know anything, it's that a nickname seems to stick, no matter how horrible."

"It could be a lot worse," Sebastian said, standing up from his position on the bed, "I could always call you by your looks, but I think Gay Face would get to be a mouthful."

Kurt's lips thinned and Sebastian figured he hit a nerve and cracked away a bit of that ice-queen's castle, "Come on, get out of here Meerkat, we're going to be late."

"Well if you're going to be so original," Sebastian said, following Kurt out of the room, closing the door behind him, "But where are we going? Because I don't remember a thing about me actually agreeing to following you around to protect your ass, no matter how fine an ass it is," he added and had that extra satisfaction of seeing Kurt stiffen at his words. Virgin was the first thing Sebastian caught from that and when Kurt only continued his strides through the corridor, he figured that his assumption was correct.

"Noah happens to see this unrealistic version of me. Sometimes he sees me as being strong and as someone who never needs anyone to help, though he's always there just in case. Then there are times when he thinks it's too dangerous for me to do anything but be locked away in a tower," he paused, "He's only ever half right about those situations. What I think he wants from you, and what would actually be quite helpful, is if I had someone around, you, who can accompany me during my runs and side assignments."

"And why is it me that has been assigned this so wonderful post? You don't even know if you can trust me, nor have you seen me in actual action," and on a last thought Sebastian added on, "And why doesn't he help you with all of that shit, if he's so concerned for your safety. Seems smarter to send himself out there."

Kurt turned down another hall and Sebastian pushed forward to walk alongside him so now that the halls left room for him to fit. He hated being forced to follow along like a stray dog.

"He has other things to worry about. Noah is who keeps our communications set up and working, though I'm usually the one who talks to the other divisions, he's surprisingly promising as tech support, he's the best I have in this division. Those connections are more important than even my safety as leader of this whole operation. We need to be able to keep in full contact if we even want to think about surviving this whole mess."

Sebastian nodded absently, because that made sense.

"But I still don't see why I'm here. I just got in last night and for all you know, I could actually be a spy who knows his information."

Kurt didn't falter, "Would a spy actually bring up that there was a possibility of being a spy?"

"Who knows, maybe this is all just a mind-" Sebastian lost his voice as the hair was knocked out of his lungs, his back colliding harshly with the wall behind him. One of Kurt's hands was resting firmly on his throat, not blocking his air supply, just tight enough to be threatening, Kurt's other hand held a gun to his stomach, a much stronger threat of disembowelment than the one on Sebastian's throat.

Kurt's eyes were staring straight into Sebastian's and he easy willed himself to maintain eye contact as Kurt searched for whatever it was he was looking for. And apparently he found it moments later when the hand gripping his throat released the pressure entirely and the gun was settled into its holster.

"You're not a spy. If you were I'm sure I'd have been dead by now. Besides, spies don't look like you. I don't care how well they could dress like someone who's been fighting out there, or how cocky they can be," Kurt said clearly talking about Sebastian, "There eyes are dead," he spit out, "Your eyes don't hold the death that they hold. They don't even show me that you were a civilian wrangled into this mess. There would be fear, and you're not scared of me, and you're defiant and you saved me last night. And as much as I am well aware of the fact that I could have handled them on my own, I'll thank you again for it. That's why I'm letting you do this with me, whether you like it or not. You could turn to be valuable and I would be a complete idiot to ignore that."

Kurt stepped back and away from Sebastian's personal space.

"Now, we'd better get going we're going to be late."

Kurt swiftly headed down the hallway while Sebastian stood there, blinking until he jogged to catch up with Kurt. It irritated him to no end that Kurt still wasn't giving him a straight answer as to where Kurt was leading him in the first place. He didn't think he'd ever get used to it...not that he was planning on it in the first place. He easily matched up with Kurt's speed, long legs carrying him enough that it wasn't even much of a struggle.

"You still haven't told me where we're going. Don't you think that would be a little important to tell me?" Sebastian managed not to bark out the question. He was starting to understand a little bit more about Kurt, and yeah, okay, Kurt was definatly helping him out with this shit, but that still didn't mean that he was going to just follow him around without being answered.

"I'm just going to have you meet a few of our section leaders. I said before that this division is pretty large, Noah and I can't keep this running by ourselves, so we have this division split into three main sections. It's my job, now our job, to make sure that everything is still running smoothly."

Sebastian snorted, "And you don't just have them come here and report to you."

Kurt shook his head, ignoring Sebastian's benevolence.

"It's too dangerous. They have to be in their sector at all times, or else who knows what's going to happen. It's just easier, and it's my division in the first place, I should be able to look out for it and keep involved as much as I can."

"I've got to say, I'm a little surprised that this little operation you're running is working. With everyone against one government dictator, who would have thought they would go for the same thing, smaller scale or not."

Kurt bristled at the suggestion, but didn't falter in his steps, only continued to weave through the halls.

"I'm no dictator," Kurt hissed, voice laced with venomous poison, "I just make sure that there isn't anyone in trouble in the divisions. They're all looked over by groups of people. No one more powerful than the other. This is my division, so I make sure that no one needs medical attention or protection. If another division needs help, I send it wherever help is available. Noah keeps track of communications, as I've explained to you not moments ago, and he brings the information back to me, where we both try to see if we can find some solution. If we can't find one good enough, we bring it to the others until we can make a final decision. I may have more sway into what happens, but I am in no way in a position to be making demands to people who are my equals and who are in this fight with me. We are in this together. There is no "I" there's only "we." Without that we might as well be back in Warbler territory because we'd just burn ourselves down until there's nothing left but ash. Does that make any sense to you?"

Sebastian didn't answer. He let Kurt storm out of the building ahead of him before he resumed his strides next to Kurt's.

He huffed and cursed his life.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like this."

Kurt sighed, "Yeah, you did. I think about it too," he admitted, "But I refuse to be like them. I only want us all to live, not just to survive, but to live through all of this."

Sebastian nodded and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, strolling along the sidewalk. The sun was glowing bright, a signal of a new day, and that it wasn't even midday yet. The air still held a comforting chill and the sky was pale, nearly white, with the day's new sunlight.

"You mentioned that there were two sectors, which one are we going to first?"

"The farthest one," Kurt answered, "Sometimes I end up staying longer than I should and I'd rather be heading this way than the opposite direction when the sun starts to go down. So you'll get to meet Sam and Quinn first and then Santana and Brittney. Which is probably the best, especially because I have the strangest feeling that you and Santana are going to get along maybe a little bit too well."

"And what do you mean by that," Sebastian asked, actually curious about why Kurt would think he would get along with this Santana person.

Kurt laughed, "Or, I guess, you might at least respect each other. Now that I think about it more. You're personalities are so similar it's almost scary. You're like the male version of Satan."

Sebastian grinned, "Satan? Now Princess, how does she get the name "satan" while I'm left with "meerkat?" That doesn't seem quite fair."

"It's not my fault your face is sadly reminiscent of rodents."

It was high noon by the time Kurt and Sebastian met up with Sam and Quinn, both who greeted them at the edge of the boundary line. At first glance Sebastian let out a laugh, grunting when Kurt's elbow ended in his ribs. He shrugged off Kurt's glare because it really was too funny to see Sam and Quinn standing next to each other. It was like a fucking picture perfect portrait between the two of them. Both blonde with bright eyes, even the pink in Quinn's hair didn't do much to stop him from rolling his eyes at how they looked together.

"Be nice," Kurt hissed, turning a smile straight to the couple they were walking toward, "They're good people, and Sam is one of my closest friends out here."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me Princess?"

"We won't be here long, a few hours to look around and catch up."

"How many times a week do you do this? You don't see them enough?"

"Not really, once or twice, but even that isn't enough."

They walked up to the boundary line, Sam immediately taking the few strides to Kurt and scooping him into a huge bear hug, lifting him off the ground to swing him around. Kurt was giggling and demanding to be put down, even though it was obvious that he was enjoying himself.

Sebastian glanced over to Quinn, who had been watching Kurt and Sam with a wary eye, and was now regarding Sebastian with a cool indifference of someone who didn't seem to really care what was going on as long as it didn't bother her in anyway. She fixated her gaze back to where Sam was putting Kurt back on the ground, careful to make sure Kurt has his feet below him and steady before backing a respectable distance away, grin large and genuinely happy to see Kurt. Sebastian wondered if there had been something between either of them before and if that was the reason for Quinn's close eye on the both of them.

"Sam, Quinn," Kurt said, addressing them both as Quinn took her spot next to Sam, "I'd like to meet Sebastian," Kurt introduced, gesturing to Sebastian, "He came in just last night."

Sam skimmed over Sebastian, clearly trying to take him for a first impression.

"How'd you and Kurt meet if you just got in last night?" Sam asked directly.

Sebastian shifted, standing a little bit taller, just to make it clear that he wasn't going to be intimidated, and if he attempted just a bit to seem intimidating well, as long as it worked out all right, there wouldn't be a problem.

"Ran into him and a few guys when I first got in. Caught Kurt in a tough spot in one of the alley ways," he glanced over at Kurt, who looked like he really didn't want Sebastian to tell Sam exactly how they met.

Sam's eyes widened and he looked back over to Kurt, searching for any injuries that might be visible.

"Why were you out there so late? You know that isn't safe/"

Kurt sighed, "I'm fine Sam. I just lost track of time and ended up farther than I wanted to be. I was heading back to the theater and I would have been fine, Sebastian just helped me out a little bit."

"Sam," Quinn interjected, "Kurt's fine, no need to worry. And now he finally has some help," she said, motioning to Sebastian, "So let's go and start this so we don't waste any of Kurt's time, he's going to want to visit Santana and Brittney soon after us, right Kurt?"

Kurt nodded stiffly, giving her a wary grin, "We don't have to rush, but I guess it would be smart to not stay very late, especially if I want to get to the girls."

Sebastian watched him curiously. Not long ago Kurt was telling Sebastian about how quick they had to be to get to Sam and Quinn early and now Sebastian was pretty sure Kurt wanted to get here early so that he could see Sam longer. And something told him that Kurt wouldn't have minded staying later and staying with Santana and Brittney for the night. Or even staying around here for the night.

The walk around was awkward to say the least. It felt like Kurt was trying to keep the peace between himself and Quinn, all the while trying not to get caught up with Sam, who wasn't keeping it a secret that he was happy to see Kurt. Nonetheless, it was quick and nearly painless, and Sebastian caught the look of disappointment Kurt had when he realized that he had done everything that was required of a normal visit.

And it didn't help that Sam and Quinn weren't in charge of watching over a very large expansion of land or as many people as most looked after. This section of the division was mostly for population control. If the other section was over flooded with more people than they could look over and protect volunteers would cross over. There also weren't any problems or threats. With the section also being a bit separated from the inner city there were less troops searching through the streets, looking for strays out at night. There food supply was still strong and they weren't in need of any medical supplies, nor was there anyone who was in need of medical attention that required them to be brought back with him and Kurt for better care.

So when Kurt announces, albeit a bit regrettably, to Sebastian that they didn't need to stay any longer now that they had been through everything, Sebastian didn't miss Quinn's expression of both relief and triumph. He could see the little tick in her facial expression that showed that she was at least attempting to control the fact that she wanted Kurt as far way from her and Sam as possible, but her eyes were what caught her. They were bright and starving as she was nothing but bones and Kurt leaving meant that she was going to be well fed.

Maybe that was exactly how it was going to be, Sebastian thought to himself, but he kept all thoughts to himself. Well...almost to himself. While Kurt and Sam were saying their quick good-byes, which consisted of another hug, Sebastian couldn't help but nudge a little at Quinn. It wasn't much, just a slip of the tongue, but it was enough to get her hackles raised and a saccharine smile sent his way as he and Kurt made their departure.

Sebastian patted himself on the back for his control, especially when he didn't even bother Kurt about what he had witnessed. He allowed the silence to stretch between them for a while, letting Kurt stew in whatever emotional shit he was throwing himself into. Personally, Sebastian really didn't know why he realled in his tongue as long as he did. He was pretty sure it was because it was that he knew that he'd might as well get used to Kurt's company, even if that meant that he was going to be such a girl.

"So what was all of that back there," he asked smoothly, casually, because he was genuinely curious and thought that Kurt might answer his question if he was at least somewhat less direct about asking what he wanted to know straight out.

Except Kurt apparently was not in the mood to justify his perfectly nice question with an accurate response.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"You've got to be shitting me. Even I could see the bitch glare that Quinn chick was sending you. You'd think we were in high school and you were stealing the football star right from under the head cheerleader's pretty little nose," he grinned when Kurt looked away, not daring to meet his eyes, "Unless that's exactly what happened. Can't say I'd put you into the category of taking someone right from under a friend's nose. Forget Ice Queen, that's just down right Evil Bitch right there. Nice grab by the way. I could see why you would go for that, especially with the mouth that guy had-"

"That's not what happened," Kurt cut him off and sent a bitch glare worthy of defeating Quinn's own signature glare, "I would never do that to someone, and don't you think that would be a pretty petty thing for me to do, especially now?"

Sebastian shrugged, "People have done worse things in worse circumstances. And you cannot tell me that you haven't done a single thing wrong in your life. After witnessing that little stunt, which was pretty tame so maybe Quinn is just a bitch, but there was defiantly some history right there, and I want to know about it."

Kurt grinned a little bit, "You didn't really like Quinn did you?" He asked and threw Sebastian off for a moment, "I caught a bit of what you said to her. It wasn't very nice of you, but I can't say that I don't sometimes imagine what it would be like to tear her down off of her thrown every now and then."

"You still haven't answered my question."

Kurt sighed and started to walk at a slower pace, they were pretty close to the next boarder, maybe a mile out of its way.

"I guess you could call what Sam and I had history. It didn't last very long and it kind of started in high school, before the Warblers really gained as much power as they have. We dated before I...before I had to leave and go to another school," At Sebastian's questioning look he briefly stated, "There were some bullying issues. Anyway, Quinn had her eyes set on Sam since he arrived at our school and when I had to leave we made the decision to take a break and see what happens. Well, then they dated for a bit...and after the Warblers broke into power and we all ended up on the run, Sam and I started back up again. He and Quinn had already broken up," Kurt added hastily, "It was mutual, somewhat, I don't really know all the details on that whole thing."

"And are you and him still fucking around and that's why she's all bitchy? Because I have no clue as to why you put them in charge of a division together if there's hostility there."

Kurt shook his head, "We're just friends, things got too complicated not long ago and we decided that it was for the best. She only hates me for taking him away from her, as she so graciously puts it. And those two work decently well together. They're not, by any means, a perfect match, but they get things done and with Sam with her all of the time and his loyalty to me, well..."

"If she ever chooses to go against us all and side with the Warblers, you'll be aware of it as soon as it happens," Sebastian finished, oddly impressed.

"Exactly. I guess I should feel bad for thinking that she would go against us, but I know she hates me enough that it wouldn't take much for her to betray me and if she betrays me-"

"She betrays everyone."

Kurt grinned and Sebastian felt like vomiting where he stood when he realized he was finishing Kurt's sentences and using "we" and "us." It was odd and new and just...

"You're starting to get it. Now come on, we've got some very special girls to meet."

Sebastian followed Kurt's lead, "Still not sure how much I'm going to even like these fag hags of yours," he commented.

"Oh, I'd be careful about saying that," Kurt replied in a sing-song voice, "You just might not walk out of this alive."

As if on a queue a gun shot rang out, the bullet pushing up dust from where it narrowly missed at Sebastian's feet. Sebastian jumped back when it fired again, missing him by marginal error, glaring when he heard Kurt laugh at his, minor, distress. He could not see the humor in being fired at, by a deadly weapon for fuck's sake!

"How the hell do you think this is funny? Do you have any clue at who could be firing at us."

Kurt glanced around the tops of the buildings that surrounded them on the streets.

"It's no one to worry about I'm sure," he mumbled, turning his head every which way, eyes scanning their surroundings.

Sebastian gaped at him.

"Nothing to worry about! No wonder these people are concerned about you. You don't seem to understand the difference between life and death."

Another bullet hit the dust, this time much closer to Kurt than Sebastian, but Kurt was as calm and collected as ever.

"Is there some bulletproof vest you're wearing that I should know about? Because if not, we have to get out of here."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "We're fine, just give me a second," he said, waving Sebastian's concerns away with a flick of his wrist.

Sebastian's hand twitched to the gun around his waist.

"Honestly there's nothing to be freaking out..." Kurt trailed off, looking triumphant.

"What now...what the hell are you doing!" Sebastian asked as Kurt pulled out his own gun, aiming it to a window that Sebastian clearly saw as empty, "I thought you said that there was nothing-"

"Dammit Sebastian! Would you take one minute and just relax. Jesus christ, if you would give me a minute, they'll stop trying to make you dance with their bullets. They're most likely laughing at both of us right now and I am not dealing with that shit the whole time we're here. I'd much prefer if Santana bugged the shit out of your flailing than my inability to find her as fast as I normally would."

"Care to explain?"

Kurt ignored him and pulled the trigger, glass shattered and a burst of female laughter was pulled out from the building in front of them. Not a moment later and there was a woman, very clearly Latina, half out of the window, face shaped in annoyance.

"You've got to be kidding me! How the hell did you even know that was there?!" She called out, and Kurt sent her a shit eating grin.

"You forget that I've been through all of these buildings a hundred times over, and I never forget a room!"

The woman scowled and then set her talons on Sebastian.

"Who's the new twink? 'Cause it looks like you've found a tasty one!"

Kurt giggled, "Get your ass down here and you can meet him!"

"Who the hell was that," Sebastian demanded when he lost sight of the Latina.

"That," Kurt emphasized, "Was Santana. Brittney's probably with the others, out and about somewhere. They're not usually separated, but Santana enjoys being the head of the welcoming party."

"That, was her idea of a welcoming party?"

Kurt shrugged, "You get used to it. And we've kind of made it like a game; I guess you could call it that."

Sebastian huffed, "Some game."

"Either this or end up subjected to razors."

"What about razors?" Sebastian's eyes were equal parts interested and unnerved.

"In her hair," Kurt explained, "Apparently, I've never actually seen them, but with Santana you really don't take risks."

Sebastian nodded absently, "So what did you break in there?"

"A vase, nothing too special if I recall. I'm pretty sure it was one of the ugliest vases i'd ever seen, so nobody will miss it much, and if they do, well they have their own horrible taste to deal with."

He rolled his eyes, "I'd hate to see what you would do with curtains that didn't match the rest of the room. I doubt anyone would even find the curtain's remains."

Kurt was cut off from retorting when Santana cut in to pull his back into her chest, hands wrapping around his waist in a backwards hug.

"Didn't think you'd be here so early Lady Lips. Not with you out to see Quinn and Sam," surprisingly enough there wasn't a double meaning to her words when she mentioned Quinn and Sam, not like Sebastian was expecting, and he doubted that she wasn't aware of that particular history between the three of them. He did, however, snort at the nickname.

Santana sent him a glare, "I don't see what you're laughing at. What is with your hair anyway? Stuck somewhere around preppy rich boy I see."

Kurt elbowed her gently in the ribs, "Play nice Satan," he told her, adding his own name for her into the mix.

Santana untangled herself from Kurt's waist and took a spot on his side, looping her arm with his in a gesture that clearly sent the message of her close relationship with Kurt and that she was asserting her position as a clear sign against Sebastian. The message was received high and clear. Mess with Kurt, end up meeting a lovely demise via Santana's gun, if he was lucky, though it seemed more likely that she was the kind of person that would kill if anyone even so much as gave a hint that they were going to mess with the people she cared about. And Santana, by her body language, clearly placed Kurt on the list of people she cared very much about.

"Come on," she said, lightening the mood, "I don't want to leave Brittney alone too long, she's missed you and besides," she started pulling Kurt along with her and Sebastian laughed as he watched Kurt allow himself to be manhandled by her, "I've got to make sure that you get back to Puck in one piece, all nice and pretty and defiantly not scrambling around in the dark, new guard dog or not."

Sebastian walked beside them, on Kurt's other side. Santana pulled him along and Kurt somehow managed to keep up with her fast pace without ending up being dragged across the gravel road.

"How have you two been doing," Kurt asked a little breathlessly, "There hasn't been as many troopers around during the night like there used to be, but there's been a bit of an attraction by some of the stranglers looking for a fight. There hasn't been any incidents, has there?"

Santana shrugged, "I think we had a real problem once a week or so ago, tried to go after one of the teenage groups that were running against the sunset. I had already gone out to check for them so there wasn't a huge confrontation going on before I arrived."

"They haven't come back," Sebastian asked, thinking about the groups that didn't always enjoy being threatened by people who they didn't believe even had the authority, let alone a woman. It seemed that, no matter how many times a woman kicks ass, some people in general just don't enjoy their "toughness" being attacked, even if it they were in the wrong in the first place.

"Nope," Santana popped out cheerfully, "Dusted their asses out of there. And before you say anything about the kids being right there, remember where we are. They're going to see a hell of a lot worse and it won't be because someone was protecting them. They already hesitated to draw out the guns that they had in the first place."

"I know Santana," Kurt told her and Sebastian let them talk, just listened in on what they were saying, absorbing it all. He could tell that Kurt was hesitant and reserved, but that he knew what had to be done and understood that, even if he hated it.

"And I didn't say a thing," he continued, "I'm glad they're okay. None of them were hurt and that's what actually matters. Besides, I'm getting tired of them coming here. Though I suppose it's better that they're here and not in one of the younger divisions. At least here we have people that can take care of them if they step out of line."

He stole a look toward Sebastian, "Did you run into a lot of them, before the other night?"

Sebastian thought about it for a moment. Sure, he had a few run-ins with the stragglers out there, but he wasn't quite sure if it was more than what was to be expected. It had only really been his first time out there so it wasn't like he understood what a dangerous amount roaming around would be. He did think that there might have been more heading this way than what should have been. They seemed to be moving in the same direction, and from what he had learned about them before, they weren't known for migrating together, preferring to stay out of each other's way and in their own little circle of meat heads. So, yeah, he could say that there was an abnormal amount of stragglers headed their way and maybe even there right now, and that could pose a problem.

"I didn't run into them, not really. But I saw them out and about, a lot more than I expected them to be. And they all seemed headed in this general direction. I can't say I thought too much of it before now."

Santana pursed her lips.

"That's really strange. They've never bothered us too much before," she sent a concerned look Kurt's way, "Those guys from the other night; they didn't say anything to you, did they?"

Sebastian glanced over at Kurt as well. He might have been there for the end of it, but he wasn't sure how long Kurt was dealing with them. He didn't think it had been very long, the signs of a fight were hardly there. It was mainly set in the intimidation stages when Sebastian had arrived. Or, if maybe they weren't there just to attack on some poor fool who had been caught wandering the streets after dark, they were there for another reason, and the intimidation was there so Kurt wouldn't run and they could take their time to get out the details they wanted. If that were true, then either they knew who Kurt was, which Sebastian doubted if that was the case, if Kurt was so "high up" then wouldn't they be looking for him, not wasting time trying to 'talk' to him?

Kurt resigned, "They didn't say much when they cornered me. But they weren't just there because of random circumstances," he grimaced, "I think the Warblers might have found a way to apply to the straggler's...demands I guess you could say. They might be working with the Warblers. Either in return for freedom or money, I don't know," At Santana's worried glance he quickly added, "But I could be wrong."

She shook her head, "Doesn't matter. Even if there's the slightest hint that they're working for the Warblers, this is something we need to be aware of. I'll push for everyone to follow curfew more carefully, I'm not going to risk any of them being caught in the crossfire of the Warbler's attempting to find out information, especially if they're so desperate to resort to working with complete and utter garbage in order to get what they want. Did they give you any idea of what they were looking for?"

Kurt wouldn't meet her eyes and it was obvious what the answer was. It was less of a matter of what they wanted as to who they wanted.

"They were asking about how they could find me. Obviously they weren't given any information and had just entered the city, because nearly everyone here knows what I look like. They didn't tell me why they were looking for me, I guess they're not that dense for Neanderthals, but if it has to do with the Warblers, it can't be good for any of us."

Santana opened her mouth to say something, cut off by excited laughter and a body barreling into both her and Kurt in a mess of dancer's limbs and blonde hair.

Even Kurt couldn't continue with the severity the previous conversation had demanded. And Sebastian saw just how weak and vulnerable Kurt actually was. It seemed pretty stupid to keep this many people he cared about so close to danger. Sam, although he was farther out, was still dangerously close to Kurt's location, near the line of fire, in the city where more people died than any other division. Then there was Santana, and it was obvious in Kurt's face that he was so close with her. She might be bad ass, but she was still a liability. And now Sebastian sees how his eyes are bright and shining as he talks excitedly to Brittney, divulging into her radiant innocence. The enthusiastic kiss Brittney pulled Kurt into was a surprise, but it only furthered Sebastian's feeling that this was a horribly stupid tactic on Kurt's part.

"Keep thinking like that and you'll end up bleeding out of your ears," Santana's sharp voice pulled Sebastian out of his musings, but he quickly collected himself and sent a scowl her way.

"Is there something you want?" He asked, biting back a horrible reference from the past that he would have said once if it even mattered anymore.

"This arrangement isn't as dangerous as you think it is. Actually, this is the best way any of this could have been set up, favoritism aside."

Sebastian raised a brow, "And how do you figure that? Most people don't have a death wish, for themselves or the people they're the closest to, and all of that seems to be resting in this city. Anyone could pick up on that, uneducated stragglers included."

Santana crossed her arms, but her face was set in serious lines.

"Just wait until you meet the rest of the division leaders. There's a reason why I'm here, why Puck's here and why Sam is here. I'm sure Kurt's already told you the reasoning for Quinn to be here and Brittney is here because he knew that she and I were never going to allow ourselves to be separated," she sent a brief look of longing Brittney's way, "War be damned. Me, Puck and Sam are the strongest people he knows. All of the other's are in the safer areas because that's where they need to be and what they can handle. None of them could cope, mentally or physically, with the demands that this city pushes onto us. So yeah, we're his weak spots, but we're the strongest links he has. We would all die for this cause, and if that means we die to protect Kurt, then that's what we do. He's the only one of us that really understands what we're up against and can defeat this threat hanging over our heads. So I don't want to hear any bullshit about weaknesses because we've all been through that shit and understand what is being asked of us."

Sebastian nodded, put off by her bluntness and loyalty.

"You really think he's worth all of that? This danger you've set yourself into?"

Santana didn't even pause to think about his question, "Of course he is, and if you stick around, you'll see it too."

Sebastian sighed, "I think I'm starting to already."

She punched his shoulder, "Now come on so I can make sure that Kurt doesn't end up whooing my girlfriend any more than he already has."


	3. Drama Queen

Century Breakdown: Chapter Three: Misery

**Author's Note: I'm not all too excited about what I have written for this chapter. But the rest of the chapters I am so ready for and I can't wait to write. **

Sebastian soon learned that there wasn't a pattern to Kurt's habits, not really. He was extremely careful to plan so that he never did the same thing twice in a week, unless he planned to repeat the schedule the next day. Some days Kurt would leave the theater, dragged Sebastian along before the sun was streaming or in the middle of the afternoon, and they wouldn't be back until late afternoon or early the next morning. Some nights neither of them slept as they trailed along the city alleys. Then there were the times where Kurt wouldn't leave the theater. He'd stay inside the room that held the only communication between him and the other division leaders. For the first night and days Kurt holed himself in there without Sebastian, leaving him to wander around and get a better hold on where he was staying. Then, not two months into Sebastian's stay, less days than Kurt had shut himself in the room, he was brought inside for small discussions.

There was no talk of a full blown out strategy on their part. Hints and references to a larger plan always passed through the conversations, but nothing was outright spoken from either Kurt, Puck, or any of the other's Sebastian hadn't bothered with learning their names. Small scale items were talked of. Security reinforcement, distribution of supplies, nothing more serious. They had tried tracking the stragglers, but none had made themselves known in the city recently and as far as the other divisions were aware, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Those reports made Kurt nervous, that much was obvious, but it wasn't like any of them could really do anything about the stragglers if they didn't know where they were or even if they were a part of some deeper plot.

Through all of the communication details Sebastian was lead through, he still had no clue what each division held inside of it, let alone why each leader was chosen. The only district he was really aware of was the one he was in right at that moment, and while he honestly didn't care to hear each and every person's back story, he found that it was usually smart to be aware of the people you're connected to. So, when Kurt pulled him out of the bedroom early in the morning so that they could wait for an incoming call (one where Kurt wasn't even sure if they were going to call, let alone when, so they would spend their whole time knocking back witty retorts and avoiding any personal conversation). This call was from Division Six, for some reason that division was important to Kurt. Sebastian had at least found out the called from Division Six and Division Three were the ones Kurt was the most concerned, again, he didn't know why, but this was the day he was asking and not taking any deflections as an answer.

They rearranged themselves across the room. Kurt sat on the musty chair, neck resting against one arm while his legs were thrown across the other arm rest, feet dangling across the side. It was a poor attempt on Kurt's part to seem casual. The tension radiating from his body was nearly radioactive and Sebastian could sense it from his spot on the couch, where he preferred to lounge. Usually he would toss his feet up on the coffee table, but didn't bother with it this time. The phone, connected to a power box device that Puck only seemed to be able to fix when it went off wire, sat on a wooden table, meant for decoration in another time, next to Kurt's head.

"What is the big deal about Division Six?" Sebastian asked. Better to be blunt, whether it always worked on Kurt was beside the point, it still gave him no excuse not to answer Sebastian's question.

Kurt didn't shift his eyes from the ceiling, just regarded Sebastian with a motion of his hand.

"What are you talking about Sebastian? Isn't it a bit early for your eccentricities?"

"You really want to do this with me right now? I'm only asking a simple question that doesn't even need a very complicated answer," Sebastian told him innocently.

"All of the divisions are important Sebastian," Kurt said, voice clearly dripping with an attitude that suggested he was talking to a toddler.

"But what's with the worry about Division Six, and while I'm at it, Division Three. You get even more frigid when you're waiting for news regarding them."

"Was there another Ice Queen reference in there?" Kurt asked, avoiding the question even further.

"Yes there was," Sebastian replied bluntly as an afterthought, "But you still haven't answered my question, again. I'm getting a little tired of cat and mouse here Princess."

Kurt didn't say anything and Sebastian took that as Kurt trying to decide whether or not he wanted to divulge any information to Sebastian. It was something that annoyed him to no end. How hard was it really to just tell him what he needed to know. It wasn't like he was asking for Kurt's life story and they both strayed away from personal information. This wasn't personal, it could even be considered business if they wanted to go there. No, it might not be life or death, but it would be pretty fucking useful if Sebastian had some more information about these divisions. And instead of just having things explained he was forced to pull teeth to get anything he needed to hear.

"Division Six," Kurt started and Sebastian was ready to praise the Hallelujah chorus, "Is lead by my step-brother and sister-in-law. Finn and Rachel," he elaborated, "In that division holds mainly adults that have escaped under the Warbler's power. A lot of them are older, parents and grandparents, but there are younger men and women out there too. I think it should be obvious, then, why I worry about that division a little more than the others," Kurt let out a strong breath of air, never turning toward Sebastian, "My dad is out there with them, he has a history of heart problems, my step-mother, Carole, is a nurse, but I still worry."

Sebastian nodded absently, thinking about his own family, how he caught whiff that they had left as well, not long after he did. He wondered if they were in that division as well.

"I could check to see if they are," Kurt said and Sebastian didn't realize that he had said that out loud, "It shouldn't be hard; they keep pretty extensive files of everyone who's there."

He nodded, not willing to go any further into that particular conversation.

"And what about District Three? Family members there as well?"

Kurt shook his head, "No, nothing like that. Most of the young kids live there. District Three is like a refuge for pregnant mothers and younger children. Risky I know, to keep them all in one place, but that's the farthest area from the Warblers and to get there you have to go through every other district and that's a lot more trouble than it's worth. I still worry though. They're just little kids. Marley and Unique are the two leaders, just kids themselves, but they work really well together. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have a soft spot for Unique and wanted her safe and away from all of this death. They're not much younger than me, but it feels like we're decades apart..." Kurt trailed off and Sebastian caught sight of a blush trailing across his skin, dipping down past the collar of his shirt and vest.

"You do realize that staring at that thing isn't going magically make it start ringing."

"Shove it Sebastian," Kurt scowled, but resumed the insistent body ticks, as though he were doing it on purpose, just to get on Sebastian's nerves.

"So is that really all of it," Sebastian asked, moving back to their previous subject of conversation, "You all just knew each other from high school and somehow between Part A and Part B you ended up as the chosen leader and everyone just followed you?"

"You make it sound like it all happened overnight," Kurt commented, much more softly than he had spoken to Sebastian before.

Sebastian caught his line of vision drifting toward Kurt's scars. If he were all honest about it, he never really paid any attention to them before. He'd acknowledged their existence the first night he saw Kurt, but placed them into a folder which was then filed under some random, unimportant cabinet section. It also wasn't as if Sebastian wasn't aware that there was some significance to the scarring, but they weren't the focus of how he decided to chalk up Kurt's identity. There might have also been something inside of Sebastian that also might have felt, not particularly bad feelings, or feelings of pity, toward the scars. But there was something that labeled them off limits in any conversation that he and Kurt had. Limits that decided that it was Kurt who would be the first to actually speak and acknowledge their existence and how he had come to end up with them. They were odd limits, and ones Sebastian had rarely, if ever, consciously or subconsciously ever set for himself that didn't involve saving himself.

So, it caught Sebastian when he found himself blatantly tracing the scars that ran across Kurt's face. He couldn't say that they weren't all that noticeable before because it became abundantly clear to Sebastian that the scars weren't set by some unfortunate event or accident. They stood out against the pale skin, painted against the living canvas of flesh as something to be seen and never dismissed. They were there to mar what would have have been a flawless complexion (Sebastian did internally cringe at the phrase "flawless complexion" because he was well aware that he still had his balls). One long, thick and jagged cut ran across his right cheekbone, as if created by a lover's caress. Another at the edge of his jaw, smaller but no less prominent, seemingly as a warning. Scars, like scratches littered his throat in criss-crossing patterns, similar to the twisted tissue of burn scars, but too well put together to be made from anything as unpredictable as fire, passion built up and released in furious emotion. On the left side of his face was another thick, ropy scar, teasing at the edge of his eye and the corner of his lips, one final blow. He briefly wondered who the hell Kurt had to piss off to earn those.

He wanted to ask Kurt how he acquired the scars. Instead he said:

"Isn't that what happened? We all woke up and realized that the lives we thought we were living were just lies. We just all woke up and realized that the world we were living in wasn't the world we had been born into. We all woke up and finally saw through the smoke and mirrors that were used against us. And then the next day we decided to do something about it. Even if it's just admitting that something's wrong, it's like waking up and everything's been changed, swapped out for some new reality we never even saw coming."

"You didn't see this coming," Kurt asked.

"Of course not," he admitted, "Not really."

"Did you see anything," Kurt asked again, knowing that he was pushing against boundaries again.

"Some of it," Sebastian admitted again, "But all of this, no, I didn't. I especially didn't see myself out here, with you of all people," he added, attempting to make light of everything that he was saying.

"I didn't either. I expected things to get better, not worse," he paused, "Though I suppose this is better."

"How do you figure," Sebastian leaned forward, wanting to catch what Kurt would see as the silver lining in this nuclear bomb smog.

"Well, think about it. We woke up, didn't we? We're not like the thousands, millions, of people that are still asleep, blind to the magician games that are being playing on them. We're awake and we're aware of this world. I don't know about you, but that seems a hell of a lot better than being oblivious to what's really going on in this world.

Another glance over to the phone.

"So can you tell me that you would rather fall into whatever it was your old habits were before you left?" Kurt asked before edging on rocky terrain, "Because I know that I would hate myself if I kept on the same path that I was heading on. And I don't think I see you as being someone who would have any regrets."

Sebastian let the thought roll around in his head for a moment. It really didn't take all that much thought to pull together a truthful answer. Kurt had figured him out easy enough, though it really wasn't that hard to see that Sebastian would be someone who didn't let himself regret many things, especially regarding huge decisions, such as leaving a life of luxury and power for something obviously not very luxurious and instead of the threat of death, it was almost certain that if he were caught, he'd be shot on the spot, without even a question of doubt, he'd be dead.

"You're right," he said, keeping his voice steady and smug, "Living by no regrets is something I pride myself in. Though I don't think I'd ever go in so deep as to divulge into self-hate, but drama queens such as you will stick to believe in what they will."

There. Simple. To the point. And he was not going to follow suit and reveal more than he wanted to. He wasn't ever planning on divulging deeper into anything that Kurt may or may not have been hinting at. Kurt might want to start bringing up past demons, but Sebastian sure as hell was not going for it. Somewhere in the back of his mind was telling him that Kurt would have more to lose than Sebastian ever would, but at the same time, Kurt was in charge of such a large group of people, responsible for their lives, and he would be endangering all of that if he revealed his past. So, Sebastian found Kurt being even dumber than he originally thought. He wondered if Kurt was like that before. Trusting to the point of nativity, and if so, he should keep that part of him forever buried under the Ice Bitch exterior and keep himself, and everyone else, alive.

Another glance over to the phone.

"What about you?" Sebastian asked, "Any regrets? You said that you left because you didn't want to follow a dangerous path-a total cliché by the way- but you didn't say if you regretted anything you've done."

Kurt's eyes were fixated on the ceiling still. His position on the chair still hadn't changed, which was odd because normally he would have centered himself so that he could talk to Sebastian face to face, something Kurt did with everyone. Sebastian couldn't tell if it was Kurt being defensive over what he was talking about, trying to seem casual and uncaring, or if he was deliberately relaxed in front of Sebastian because he trusted him. Which, again, seemed like the stupidest thing ever. The only other time Kurt was remotely relaxed was with Sam or Puck, even with the girls there was always that air of discomfort and reluctance to fall into a comfort zone.

"No," he answered, "Not really. There are some things that I really would like to go back and change, but nothing that haunts my every waking moment. I guess...I can't change how most of the events played out, so I guess...I guess if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change anything. I'm glad that I've grown up. I wouldn't be who I am today without the past. Again, I hate how most of this has played out and I've made a lot of mistakes, but that's how life works most of the time. It would be pretty useless if I just sat around hating all that I've done or have gone through, nothing would get done and things would only get worse."

"You would rather go through all of this shit than maybe, I don't know, switch places with someone else. Have them deal with all of this pain and suffering. Because, to me, that sounds like it would be a lot easier and less nightmares afterwards."

Kurt, for the first time, turned in one smooth motion, eyes hard like ice and glare impenetrable, "No. To wish any of the shit I've seen on someone is horrible. Easier, yes, it would be so easy to go one without all of these things weighing me down when I'm trying to sleep at night. No, would I ever give my life up for someone else to deal with it. Because saying that everything I'm doing is "dealing with the problem" is suggesting that helping people isn't worth it. And nothing is more worth it than saving people and making their lives better, even if it means I have to make a few sacrifices in the process."

The next day Sebastian slipped out of the room, leaving Kurt behind to stare pathetically at the phone that wasn't ringing. It hadn't rung the day before. The day that they were expecting a call from Division Six. Now Sebastian knew that there were times were the call came late, but it always managed to arrive the day they said they were going to call. Whether it cut shy by a few hours or not, the call always came and everyone was reassured that nothing horrible was happening. More times than not, the reason the call came in late was because of technological errors and not because of any serious threat or danger to anyone's lives. So yes, it was worth being a little worried about, moving into mildly concerned. But Sebastian could not honestly sit there and watch Kurt stare dismally into the ceiling or hopelessly at the freaking equipment because the call hadn't arrived yet.

Sebastian could, though grudgedly, admit that he would be on edge if he were expecting contact from his family, but he managed well enough without them for so long already and imagined that Kurt had maybe even been separated longer from his own family, so he couldn't quite muster up enough empathy to deal with Kurt's anxieties. The understanding was, basically, there for Sebastian, but the emotions behind the understanding was next to nothing for him.

Puck, although lucky enough not to have had to waste away in the same room as Kurt, brought up his own concerns to Sebastian, asking if Kurt had even left the room at all during the night.

Sebastian shrugged, "I wouldn't doubt it. I left before he did and I only saw him again this morning when he woke me up, demanding that I join him."

Puck sighed, and Sebastian could see the worry lines set in his face, translated through his posture and pumping through each word he managed to vocalize.

"It just isn't like any of the Divisions to go this long without contacting us. Especially Division Six. We always get a call, once every one to two weeks. They never miss an opportunity to check in and give their reports."

"Because Kurt's step-brother and his sister-in-law are the division leaders? Or because Kurt's dad and step-mother are protected in that division? Or is it both? I'm going with both, because as much as he seems to love his father, it sounds like he's pretty close to the brother too."

"He told you about that?" Puck asked, something unrecognizable to Sebastian laced in his voice. It almost sounded amazed, or like the floor had dropped out from underneath him, but neither of them really made any sense for Sebastian to understand.

Sebastian nodded, "Yesterday actually. He mentioned something about my family might being there for refuge as well, why?"

Puck shook his head, as if shoving the words aside, as if they didn't mean as much as they really seemed to.

"There's no hiding that you're right about it being the reason Division Six contacts us so much, though it doesn't feel like much when you really put it down on paper. I'm assuming that Kurt told you about all the other Divisions too, but i'm not even going to bother with talking about those then. But yeah, Finn is a pretty good dude and he's like a big brother to Kurt, calls all the time because he's worried about Kurt getting hurt again. And Burt, their dad, cares about Kurt, like seriously cares a lot about him. The dude can be scary as fuck. You don't even want to talk to him over the phone to tell him that Kurt got a little scrapped up. He would seriously kill for him if he had the chance. So yeah, Kurt's freaking out a little. Honestly, he'll probably push this away tomorrow and ignore that it even happened. At least, until he goes on another round of sitting in that room and collecting calls. Eventually Finn will call."

Sebastian hesitated a moment before he asked Puck something that was nagging him in the back of his mind all through the night after Kurt had talked him through the divisions and his connections to each one.

"You don't think that, just maybe, there might be something going on in Division Six that's preventing them from contacting us from their end? You said it yourself that Kurt has really close ties to that division. Sure, he has connections to all of them, but Division Six is his actually family. You don't think the Warblers have anything to do with it? Even you can't be especially dumb about the possibility."

Puck nodded and something in his posture suggested that he had thought about the same possibility, just had never voiced it out loud, to himself or to Kurt.

"I've thought about it going out that way. I hope that it's not going down like that right now. I'd like to think that they're just experiencing some tech trouble, but it's been over a week since we've heard from them, and recently they've been in constant contact with us. I don't know if maybe they were expecting something to happen and that's maybe why they've been so keen on keeping up with us or what, but it's something I've been worried about."

Sebastian shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Do you think that Kurt's thought about it? He hasn't said anything other than that he was worried."

"I think that was the first thing he thought about," Puck said, and he said it with so much conviction in his voice that Sebastian couldn't do anything but agree with the statement, "But I also think that he thinks that he's either just being paranoid and overly protective, as he's been called out for before, or that he just wants it to be something less terrible. Because I know, personally, if I haven't heard anything from my little brother after a few weeks, I'd start freaking the fuck out too."

Sebastian blinked, "You have a brother?"

Puck shrugged, "Yeah, he's one of the leaders in Division Four. Out there with some Ryder kid. They went to school together. He's out there with my mom, my little sister and his mom. I make him call every so often so I know he's not out there doing something stupid that will end with him getting his ass kicked. Especially since he's really into that Marley chick from Division Three. Can't really do anything with her if he's shot to hell and back."

Sebastian nodded.

"You got any family?" Puck asked and Sebastian figured that it would be his next question.

"My parents, no siblings though. I haven't had much contact with them in a year or two, but I heard that they got up and abandoned any areas where the Warblers had control. Kurt said that they most likely took refuge in Division Six and said that he'd see if they were there when he got the call. We were never good at communicating or anything, but I wouldn't really enjoy hearing that they were out dead somewhere."

"Only child privilege?"

Sebastian snorted; he didn't have any clue how right he was on that assumption.

"You could say that," he said instead, "I certainly got away with a lot of shit."

Puck rolled his eyes, "Dude, I was THE original badass at our high school. No one slept with more chicks or MILFS than I did in my years. I even managed to sleep with most of the Cheerios at our school too."

"And which ones got away from you? Because I can defiantly see the charm right now," Sebastian said with a snort.

"Just one."

Sebastian nodded, "Mmmhmm. Which one would this be?"

"Kurt," Puck replied, "He was the only one I couldn't get in the sack. Not for lack of trying either. But he was all happy with Sam so I didn't even stand a chance."

"You," Sebastian pointedly said, "Tried to sleep with Kurt?"

"Duh," Puck replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Who wouldn't want to tap that. Have you seen his ass? And when he was in the Cheerio uniform? Dude, I had masturbation material for months with that uniform."

"I guess I just can't see you into..."

"Dude," Puck said with a definite look of how-do-you-not-understand -this -already, "I slept with ALL of the Cheerio squad. That includes the dudes. And trust me when I say that not all of them were one hundred percent straight, like, at all. I'm free for all when it comes to sex. I don't give a fuck who a person fucks. And I don't give a fuck about who I fuck, as long as the person is a Grade A hottie, I'll go for a me?"

Sebastian smirked. Yeah. He could see from that point of view just fine. He's had his share of one night stands and quick fucks in the back of a shady club or the times in the boys bathroom. He also had the first hand experiencing the fun in hooking up with a guy that was seemingly one hundred percent straight, only to be a total bottom begging for a good fuck.

He nodded, "Yeah, I understand what you're saying. And, it's really not like I blame you. That ass is a gift, as long as you get past the iced out personality."

Puck laughed, "Wait until he warms up a bit, you'll be singing a different tune, trust me."


	4. Troublemaker

Chapter Four: Troublemaker

Eventually Kurt did have to make his rounds around the city. He pulled himself away from the communication room and managed to drag Sebastian out of his bed before dawn was even rising. For a moment Sebastian thought something was going on, that something was wrong. He woke up, pulling out the gun he kept tucked under his pillow, and aimed right at Kurt, who only gave him a roll of his eyes for Sebastian's display. Sebastian was pretty sure that words were strewn together sometimes during that little exchange, but as he was dead beat tired and had just woken up from a very comfortable sleep, he couldn't, for the life of him, remember what was actually said. It took him a moment to sort himself out before he was blindly follow Kurt out of the room, into the hallway and out of the theater. There was hardly any stirrings of life inside the building and Sebastian figured that Puck was asleep, where Sebastian believed he should have been as well, but he had learned that Kurt was anything but actually patient for someone once he had his mind set on doing something. Somehow Kurt still had energy and life to burn, even though Sebastian was utterly positive that Kurt had slept much less than he had the past few nights. And as far as Sebastian could see, the dark circles under Kurt's eyes were fairly light and only dusted across his skin. So, Kurt had to have turned in early last night, Sebastian guessed, because, although he had his doubts, Kurt wasn't an automaton and he did need sleep to survive.

The daylight was brushing against the darkness of the night. Stars were rapidly fading into the morning sky as the pale blue horizon peaked through decayed buildings. You couldn't yet see the sun, but the beginning of warm rays were streaking across the edge of the world, molding into the sky in a fixture of day and night. A limbo of the two phases of the day.

Sebastian looked up into the sky and wanted it to be night. He could always find reasons to prefer darkness over light any time of the day. It was when he felt the most free. He felt like anyone could do anything at night, and the thought was exhilarating. He felt like he could do anything and he wouldn't have to worry about the sun throwing around judgement over anything he could accomplish at night. If there was anything he hated most, it was that he had to sleep at night and then go out during the day. If only because it was the most practical, the safest way to live, especially now. If it weren't for The Warblers he would have found himself in this city for the night life. The parties, the bars, the clubs, the slew of possibilities that would be laid out for him like a fine feast. That's what he would have come to the city for. He would live with the mornings hitting hard, but he'd be able to shut the blinds to the light and never bother to emerce himself to the general population until he rose into the darkness and live in the night.

He was brought out of his thoughts and musings when he caught Kurt humming a familiar tune. He wasn't sure why it was so familiar to him. It must have been something he heard in passing once or twice before. One of those things he never bothered to look any further into because he decided that it really wasn't worth his time.

"What is that," he asked, unable to go about walking with Kurt with an unanswered tune stuck in his head.

Kurt looked Sebastian's way. He stopped the humming.

"That...song, you've been humming it for a while. What is it?"

"Oh," Kurt blinked, "Just a song I remember listening to a lot when I was in school. I guess I'm not really sure what it's called, or who it used to be by. Weird though."

"Do you remember the words?"

Kurt fiddled with the tune in his head, humming a few more bars to himself, trying to remember if he did indeed recall the words to the song.

It took him a moment but then he was singing softly, almost to himself."I'm gonna marry the night I won't give up on my life I'm a warrior queen Live passionately tonight I'm gonna marry the dark Gonna make love to the stark I'm a soldier to my own emptiness I am a winner."

He glanced over at Sebastian again.

"What? No comment? I'm pretty sure those are right."

"Do you remember anything more," Sebastian asked. The song did seem so familiar, not like an old friend, he was pretty sure there was a reason why he had never bothered with the song before. But right now, he wasn't sure, but it felt right to hear it.

Kurt sent him a funny look, not quite understanding a thing Sebastian was thinking, but continued with what he remembered nonetheless,"I'm gonna lace up my boots Throw on some leather and cruise Down the streets that I love In my fishnet gloves I'm a sinner Then I'll go down to the bar But I won't cry anymore I'll hold my whiskey up high Kiss the bartender twice I'm a loser."

For Kurt, it was like going back to the days he loved. Where he could be himself and just lose himself in the music, in the worlds that spoke volumes to him and kept him going through the tough times. Music had always been there for him. Through the tough times and for the fun times. Music evoked everything he was feeling and nothing he could put into words. And now that he'd found his old words, he couldn't keep them from flowing past his lips in a session of notes and lyrics.

"Nothing's too cool To take me from you New York is not just a tan that you'll never lose Love is the new denim or black Skeleton guns are wedding bells in the attic Get Ginger ready climb to El Camino front Won't poke holes in the seats with my heels cause that's Where we make love Come on and run Turn the car on and run I'm gonna marry the night I'm gonna burn a hole in the road I'm gonna marry the night Leave nothin' on these streets to explode."

Kurt finished off, trailing the words away and looked back toward Sebastian.

They were still walking, neither of them had stopped or slowed their pace much. The sun was still dimly lit and the signs of night were still fading off into the distance.

"Did you know the song?" Kurt asked, feeling exceedingly stupid for asking a question like that.

Sebastian shook his head, "Not really. It just sounded really familar is all. Listen to a lot of that kind of music did you?" Sebsastian chuckled mostly to himself, berating against the poor attempt to mock Kurt, "Sounds like something you would like."

Kurt settled for ignoring the attempt at being funny.

"And I'm completely sure that you used to listen to utter crap."

"Actually, I didn't listen to much music at all. Never really found the point in it," Sebastian countered, shrugging Kurt off.

"You were in a show chior," Kurt monotoned.

Sebastian nodded, the stupid meerkat grin on his face, "I just sang the words Princess, it's not like I much bothered with anything else. I was good at it and that's why I did it."

He turned his attention away from the sky and looked at Kurt dead on, flinching back a bit when he saw the horror struck look plastered on his face.

"What?"

"That's a horrible thing to say," Kurt exclaimed in a high octave that had Sebastian wincing.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, "Just because you were into show choir to make friends and celebrate music or whatever, doesn't mean that the rest of us saw it like that. It looked good on a college application, especially if you were the head of the choir, and it filled a spot during the day."

Kurt huffed, actually huffed and Sebastian bit back a laugh.

"It was more than just that. Yes, it was great for making friends, and it was about the music. Why wouldn't it be? What's so wrong about creating bonds over a shared interest? And music is so much more than just swinging in the background while the leads sing in front of an audience."

"Know a lot about that don't ya?"

Kurt ignored him, "Music means so much more to a lot of people. Nearly everyone I met in that choir room had a change in heart in some way or another. Noah and I? Hated each other. Neither of us our freshman or sophomore year would even so much as think for a second that we'd deal with each other outside of the regular dumpster dives he subjected me to. Now look at us! By our senior year we were hanging out with my step-brother eating pizza and playing games. I had a few falling outs with some other people," Kurt admitted, thinking back to his friendship with Mercedes, how it had fallen off the radar after he transferred, "Santana?" Kurt continued, "She, okay, she's still a bitch, but she was scared in the start of high school. So scared about her reputation and about her family, all because she was in love with Brittney and she didn't think it was okay for her to like girls. Look at her now, she'll cut a bitch if anyone dares say a word to her or Brittney about their love. So excuse me if I think that that old Glee Club that music, did some good for us okay?"

"I see that it didn't do much to change you. Still a prissy ice bitch. I can only imagine how flaming you were in high school if this is the result of your 'transformation,'" Sebastian mocked.

Kurt halted, spun on his heal, and stood in front of Sebastian with defiance burning brightly in his eyes. There was more there too. Not just the defiance and demanding, but something else that had Kurt's eyes watering against emotions that Sebastian couldn't quite place.

"That Glee Club," Kurt closed his eyes for a breath before he snapped them open, a little less wet than they were before, "That Glee Club gave me so much hope for this world. I'm not going to lie and say that everything was perfect and that I always felt like I belongs. Because no. I hurt, a lot while I was at that school and sometimes I felt so horrible so utterly terrible that I never wanted to go. I just wanted to stay home and never wake up, and that scared me. And when there's this sign up sheet placed on a boring old cork board that feels like a new beginning, I felt so hopeful."

There were tears in Kurt's eyes again and Sebastian wished he could ignore them. They threatened to spill, but they didn't. Sebastian wondered how Kurt forced them not to fall streaming down his face for a little comfort.

"Again, it still sucked. It sucked nearly everyday. Because we were the losers. I was still a loser in that club, but everyone was considered a loser until we finally won Nationals our senior year. And it felt good knowing that I wasn't the only one going through a hard time. Sure, I got it worse than the others because I was already the faggy freak in the school who looked and sounded like a girl, but I had people there for me. Yes, most of them were dense until the last possible second, but they made it up to me. And that was so much more than I ever expected out of high school. That Glee Club, the thing you just mocked, probably saved my life in high school. I hated living everyday like I was and it only made things harder for my dad. I hated what people did to him because of me. So don't you mock something like that. Those people, that music, spoke to me and motivated me to push on and then make something out of my life that said "fuck you" to all of the people who made my life miserable before."

"Well, well, well," a voice echoed from the alley beside them, "This really must be my lucky day."

Kurt froze, eyes wide and unmoving. His posture was stiff and his finger itched for the gun on his hip. He honestly didn't expect such a cliche beginning to this inevitable meeting that he knew he was bound to face with one of the worst people from his past. It would only be his luck that the one guy that hated him as much as Kurt hated the guy would be the one to catch him at one of the few weak moments Kurt allowed himself. Usually they were left for the privacy of his room, or a particular emotional talk with Noah, never outside of the confines of the theater. And here he was, nearly in tears, voice nearly broken into hysterics, and the one Warbler Kurt did not want to find him had found him.

Sebastian turned toward the alley to catch the figure emerging from the shadows casting from the buildings. It still wasn't quite light enough for Sebastian to catch a good look at the figure until he fully emerged from the dark shapes. When he was able to identify the figure his throat closed up, cutting off his even breathing and for the first time Sebastian was more nervous, anxious, scared, than he had been in a long time. All he could think was "No, no, not right now." Not when he had finally run away, finally escaped. When he had found someplace where no one had heard of him, had ever seen him before in their lives. Where no one knew who he was and he could be himself without revealing everything about the past he wanted to bury away and kill before it had the chance to come back and blow up in his face.

"What a lovely little speech you had there Kurt. Reminds me of all the other whining I had to deal with while you were with us. Let me tell you Sebastian, he used to be worse. Used to cry like a fucking girl over the simplest of things. I can't say I miss it all that much."

The gaze Kurt had on Sebastian never strayed. Kurt eyes only widened and his lips thinned into a straight line. Sebastian, for a moment, thought that he was angry at Sebastian for not telling him that Sebastian's past may or may not involve the Warblers and their plans. But then Sebastian realized just what was being said to both of them. The Warbler knew Kurt. Had spent enough time around him to know something more about Kurt than anyone else really would have unless they were in each others company before and for reasons that didn't involve a gun to the other person's head.

"Thad," Kurt said, shifting so that his body was in front of Sebastian's, and if he were a bit taller and wider, he would have covered Sebastian completely with his body. But the gesture was nonetheless recognized with what it really was. Kurt aiming to protect Sebastian even though, not a minute before, Kurt was going off on Sebastian because of his dismissal of something Kurt obviously believed very strongly about.

"What brings you here?" Kurt continued with an edge in his tone that Sebastian was not aware was even possible, "It's a little bit odd to see you out here. I'd figured you'd be too concerned about getting dust on your pants, messing up that perfectly pressed uniform of yours."

Thad shrugged, lips curling into a feral grin.

"Oh Kurt, I can't say I missed that dry humor either. And your insults were always lacking. Never realized that it was better to go for the heart than just the outside of a person. Or are still too cowardly to play a little dirty," his gaze shifted to Sebastian, "Though I see you've found someone who would be more than willing to get a little down and dirty for you. Especially you Kurt. Sell out that ass a little to him and it just might take you far, or end up dead in a ditch somewhere, but details," he said, waving it off.

Sebastian rolled his eyes and managed not to take out his own gun and land a bullet right between Thad's eyes. What a lovely, welcome, sight that would make for him, and Kurt if his words and body language were anything to go by.

"Just tell us what you're really here for and get on your way before you end up dead and we have to deal with dumping a body we'd really much rather not bother with," Sebastian said. shifting his hands into his pockets, ideally feeling where he had his razorblade tucked into.

Thad's eyes widened in a mock version of innocence.

"What? I can't just be a lone straggler from the night? Who happened to make it out a little later than originally planned?'

Sebastian shook his head, "I think I'm going to have to agree with Kurt here and say that you wouldn't be out here in the desert if you didn't have to be. We want to know why you're the last to get out. Or if your even out here alone. I do hope you realize that you could be surrounded in a matter of minutes and you wouldn't even be aware of it."

Okay, so he was bluffing. Totally, one hundred percent bluffing. He knew that there was no way they could get anyone outside without any means to do so. He just hoped that Thad wasn't aware of that crushing truth. Because if he did, and he wasn't alone, then he and Kurt were seriously screwed.

"Well?" Sebastian asked.

Kurt shifted but Sebastian didn't see him move for his gun and knew that Kurt wouldn't fire if Thad didn't attack first. That would look bad for him. Puck had told Sebastian that it was always better to wait for the Warblers to make their move first because then whatever they did in retaliation was purely defense. It made sense. It wasn't a horrible strategy to uphold, especially when your future depended on people that did have the power to desert and go back to the big city and back to the Warblers.

For Kurt, it was a moral thing. If it was absolutely necessary for their survival, he would shoot first and ask questions later. There were times, during a raid for food and supplies they were in desperate need of, where he was known for taking the shot just so they would remain undetected. There were a few times mentioned to Sebastian by some of the people he had overheard, gossip never died it seemed, where Kurt was known to seduce an unsuspecting guard and then lead him into a knife in his stomach or across his throat. All to keep anyone who was caught out late safe and to keep their actions light and undetected until the next day when they were long gone and the bodies of dead soldiers were in their place.

Sebastian himself was quick to dismiss most of the rumors that seemed to spread about Kurt. Most of them weren't all that hard to believe, but some of them were known to be pretty outlandish. The same seemed to happen to Puck, but more with his sexual escapades, gossip mill from the older teens. Sebastian wouldn't be so quick to discard those if he was being honest with himself. But the ones that told of what Kurt would do to protect everyone, those were easy for him to imagine Kurt doing. He seemed to have a complex about keeping other people alive instead of himself, even if the other people weren't nearly as valuable to the cause as Kurt himself was (Sebastian ignored all of Kurt's lectures on how not one person was better over the other when it came to being alive. Everyone deserved to live, blah blah, we should do all we can to make sure that as many people stay alive as possible, blah blah. Sebastian knew what he knew and what he understood was that the leaders of the divisions and Kurt and Puck in particular were the most valuable and should be held above the rest for protection and safety. Because without them, it would only be more difficult to protect the remaining others).

Thad relaxed his own posture, not seemingly concerned about the weapon displayed on Kurt's hip.

"I just have a little message for Kurt here," his mouth twisted into a smile and weary eyes, "It seems that no one can seem to forget you. You left such a huge scar when you decided to run from us. Especially into the skin of one specific Warbler. Though I'm sure you know who I'm talking about without me even saying his name."

Kurt's eyes flashed sharply and with danger written in them, glinting as bright as silver daggers.

"I can't seem to recall names right now. Must not have been very important to me back then. Care to refresh my memory?" His voice was tight with filtered emotion.

Sebastian tried to remember all of the Warblers he remembered. He knew most of them. Had only ever heard of just one. One person who was out on business because of reasons that remained classified for as long as Sebastian was with the Warblers.

"Oh, come now Kurt. How could you not remember even his name? After all of the fun times you two had together? I'm sure he would be hurt hearing you like this," Thad sauntered up closer to Kurt until he was standing merely a foots distance away. Neither Kurt nor Sebastian made a move.

"Blaine," Thad said slowly and clearly, "Wanted me to tell you that he's been watching you and that he's just about ready to make his move. Though he doesn't want me telling you what grand scheme he's been working on just for you. He did want me to tell you that you have the power to stop his next move and the next and the next. Just turn yourself in and he won't have to make any moves that you don't want him to."

Thad froze, eyes wide and Sebastian took a closer look to see that Kurt had drawn his gun and had the end of the barrel jammed into Thad's stomach. His hand was steady, finger on the trigger.

"Leave. Now. And I won't kill you right now and send you to Blaine as a gift."

Thad's eyes flared, "You dig your own grave and the graves of everyone you care about?"

Kurt held Thad's gaze, unyielding and powerful, "We don't dig graves here," he relied, "We burn out into ashes and live on. Now leave, before I change my mind."

"Very well," Thad nodded, "If that's how it's going to be. No parting words for Blaine?"

Kurt didn't answer him, only cocked the gun into Thad's stomach. Thad raised his hands in the hair, backing up a step, and then another, and then another, until he was an arms length away.

"No need to bring up bad blood. I was just asking. Figured I would be better safe than sorry," he spun on his heel and began walking back from where he came from, calling out, "I"ll be seeing you soon Kurt. Real soon if everything goes according to plan. Don't get to comfortable here. There's only so long you can hide from us. And only so long until you realize that you'll be the death of everyone you care about."

Kurt didn't respond. He pulled back the safety and slipped the gun into its holster.

Sebastian waited until Thad was out of their sight range before gripped Kurt's forearm and turned him around so that he was facing Sebastian.

"Care to explain that little mess that just happened right there," Sebastian demanded, not in anger, but genuine curiosity. He suspected that Kurt had some kind of past behind, but he couldn't see Kurt getting involved with the Warblers of all people. From everything that had happened, he knew Kurt hated the Warblers. But, maybe that was why he hated them. He must have known enough about them to get up to that level of hate.

Kurt didn't glare back, and his voice was slow and steady, something Sebastian saw as unexpected, "What about you? You knew who Thad was and he knew who you were. When were you two acquainted?"

Sebastian sighed, and with his hand still wrapped around Kurt's arm, pulled him into the closest building. He wasn't sure what it used to be, but he guided Kurt into the structure, glad that Kurt wasn't putting up any sort of a struggle. Which was good because that meant that Kurt wasn't necessarily asking about Sebastian knowing Thad because Kurt didn't trust him, but because he needed the answer to help strengthen the trust Kurt had already figured Sebastian had earned the right to hold. He was sure that Kurt would have put a gun to his head and then asked the questions if he in any way suspected that Sebastian might still be working with the Warblers in secret.

Inside the building were old storage crates, after deeming them suitable and not so decayed that they would disappear if weight were applied to the wood, Sebastian sat down on one, after releasing Kurt. Kurt remained standing in front of Sebastian. He wasn't sure if it made Kurt feel superior to Sebastian, more than likely it was that Kurt was feeling a bit skittish, despite any lack of a fuss being dragged into a secluded building with a now known former Warbler. Kurt most likely wanted to be able to escape as quickly and swiftly as possible if any of his doubts turned out to be rightful and true.

He sighed when Kurt didn't press forward on his question. Sebastian really wanted to call Kurt on his own bullshit. He hadn't answered Sebastian's question about Kurt knowing about the Warblers. About potentially being a former Warbler himself. Though, rationally, Kurt's live was literally on the line because of the grief he's been sending the Warbler's way. Out of either of them, it was Sebastian who was more likely to be the double agent.

"Look, Kurt," Sebastian started, "I know Thad because I was a part of the Warblers, for about a year. Pretty sure it was about a year, maybe a little longer? Before I left and ended up here, and well, you know when I got here, so you can do the math with that one."

Kurt looked down at him, "Why did you leave?"

"I got tired of their bullshit. I grew up. My parents left and I trusted their judgement. I hated everything I was a part of. There were a thousand and one fucking reasons why I left all of them reasons why I never want to go back and why I want the Warblers to fall out of power just as much as the rest of us." He purposefully said "us" because he was on this side now. He was with Kurt, Puck, Santana, Brittney, Sam, Quinn, and all of the other leaders and people who were in hiding from the Warblers. That was who he was and there was no denying it, from himself or anyone else, because anything else would be cowardly.

He sighed when Kurt didn't press forward on his question. Sebastian really wanted to call Kurt on his own bullshit. He hadn't answered Sebastian's question about Kurt knowing about the Warblers. About potentially being a former Warbler himself. Though, rationally, Kurt's live was literally on the line because of the grief he's been sending the Warbler's way. Out of either of them, it was Sebastian who was more likely to be the double agent.

"Look, Kurt," Sebastian started, "I know Thad because I was a part of the Warblers, for about a year. Pretty sure it was about a year, maybe a little longer? Before I left and ended up here, and well, you know when I got here, so you can do the math with that one."

Kurt looked down at him, "Why did you leave?"

"I got tired of their bullshit. I grew up. My parents left and I trusted their judgement. I hated everything I was a part of. There were a thousand and one fucking reasons why I left all of them reasons why I never want to go back and why I want the Warblers to fall out of power just as much as the rest of us." He purposefully said "us" because he was on this side now. He was with Kurt, Puck, Santana, Brittney, Sam, Quinn, and all of the other leaders and people who were in hiding from the Warblers. That was who he was and there was no denying it, from himself or anyone else, because anything else would be cowardly.

"I'm not going to lie and said I hated every living second I was with them. Because, when I first joined, I wanted to be there and I wanted to be powerful. And I thought that I could be the kind of person that would do anything for power, absolutely anything. I thought I could manipulate and weave my way through the rules and yeah," Sebastian shrugged, "For a while I did do all of those things. But, like I said, I grew up, I saw the error of my ways if you will. I couldn't stomach some of the things they were doing. To kids, adults, all of these people that didn't really deserve any of it. I didn't think it was right and so I left. Didn't even give them a days notice. For all that they knew, I was still in agreement with everything they believed in. I just walked out without anyone noticing I was gone until I was missing for a few days, or so I assume because no one came after me."

He looked up at Kurt to gauge his reaction. Kurt's eyes were soft and understanding and he wasn't itching for his gun. Then he sighed and kicked over a box of his own and placed it next to Sebastian. He broke Sebastian's gaze when he sat on the wood, both hands intertwined, resting between his knees. He was fighting, like he couldn't stay still for the life of himself, even his eyes were darting across the streaks of light peaking through broken boards of the building.

"I was with the Warblers for about half a year. I'm guessing it was right before you joined. So we probably just missed each other."

Sebastian grinned, "Would we get along if we were there at the same time."

Kurt shook his head and laughed a little and it sounded self deprecating to Sebastian's ears.

"Not at all. I'm pretty sure we'd get along even worse than we are now. When I found out what was going on, I reacted a little," he laughed again, "I defiantly was not happy with them and I had no problem voicing my opinion. I was a little more scandalized than horrified I think."

Sebastian nodded and thought back to what Thad was talking about, "What was the thing you had with Blaine?"

Now Kurt's eyes looked more wet than self hateful, "You'll get a kick out of this. I was in love with him," Kurt admitted, "Or at least, I thought I was. That kind of went out of the window as soon as I found out"

"How did you not know," Sebastian asked because he walked in with an open invitation to rule the world. The Warblers were always open with their plans when they introduced people they were interested in, "Didn't they tell you?"

Kurt shook his head, "No, never," he grimaced, "I was never asked to be in the Warblers because of my talent for scamming or murder or even my desire for revenge or power. Blaine wanted me for less... less noble purposes I guess you could say."

"Less noble purposes?" Sebastian lifted his eyebrows and sent Kurt a shit eating grin, one that he had hoped would at least calm Kurt down a little with the familiarity of it. But he made sure to sound less like he was trying to make fun of Kurt and more like he wanted him to laugh for the sake of laughing over horrible things, "That's what you came up with? Now I'm fairly certain I can guess what those less than noble ideas of his were. But seriously, that's why you were invited? As a personal whore for their leader?"

Kurt nodded, "He told me that it was more than that. But the idea is basically the same. He wanted someone ignorant, who would cling to his every word and love him. So, in theory, it didn't sound like such a horrible thing. He said he just wanted someone who would willingly love him and give themselves to him whenever he felt like he wanted them.

The only reason I even found about about what they were doing was because I wasn't so dense with emotions that I didn't catch that there was something going on. I didn't know what it was at the time, but I knew I was being kept in the dark for something. That there was a reason why the Warblers sent me a look every time I walked into a room. Like they knew something I didn't know and it amused them to no end. So, one night while Blaine was out with the Warblers, I went into his room and I searched through his desk. Personally, I think it was him being too trusting that I would be too trusting, that he even bothered keeping 'top secret' files in the desk in his own room. That was just asking for someone to go snooping around looking for information."

"What did you find in there? There's no way he would have left confidential files where it would be so easy to get into."

Kurt laughed, "There was enough for me fill in the blanks without too much creativity. Really, when I look back on it, all I can do is laugh at his stupidity. How he, how they all, underestimated me so easily."

"So," Sebastian nudged on, "What did you do after you found out about their plans? You said that you couldn't even stomach what they were planning, so I doubt you stayed there very much longer. Did you just leave that night?"

Kurt shook his head, "I was shocked, horrified, yes. I went straight to my room, determined to leave that night. To go back home with my family, to go back and...I'm not really sure what I was going to do then. If I would have done anything more than just ignore what I had seen and go on with my life for as long as possible."

"But obviously that didn't happen."

"No, it didn't. Blaine went into my room that night and was greeted with the lovely image of me packing as much of my stuff as I could into one bag. He demanded to know what I was doing. I tried to play it of as homesickness and how I just needed to go back home for a little while and be with my family. Unfortunately he wasn't that dense and I was nearly hysterical. I was shaking and crying and Blaine was so angry at me because I had never mentioned to him how much I missed home and he demanded that I tell him the truth because he thought I was happy. After a while I stopped trying to talk to him, to give him my explanation and I tried to just leave, but he grabbed me, smacked me around a little," Kurt took a breath, "He freaked me out just as much as he pissed me off and I pushed back. I told him that I knew everything and that I didn't want to even look at him anymore, that looking at him made me sick. Well...you can guess just how well that went," subconsciously Kurt traced the scars on his face and throat, hand darting underneath his jacket sleeves where Sebastian knew concealed skin that also carried scars.

"How much longer were you there?" Sebastian asked, figuring that was a question easier answered than any of the others floating around in his head.

"I was there for another two months. During that time my friends back home had already caught whiff of what was happening with the Warblers and a lot of them were headed underground. Somehow they convinced my dad to go into hiding as well. Our little rebellion was pretty small and once they joined they found out about what was going on with me. I guess some people heard that the Warblers were keeping someone captive and torturing them, but they couldn't really do much back then. Everyone was too weak."

"How did you get out then?" Sebastian questioned, because he couldn't connect the dots well enough yet.

"I escaped on my own. More luck than skill really. They kept a pattern and it wasn't hard to figure out when the best time was for me to slip away. Blaine visited me sometimes, kept trying to offer me an out every time. Saying that he would take me back if I only stopped fighting them. One day I made a good enough actor and convinced him that I was ready to be with him. While we were kissing I pulled the knife from his jacket pocket and stabbed him in the gut and then I swiped a cut across his face," he tapped the side of his boot, where Sebastian knew he concealed a knife, "I took it with me and I managed to get out of there and then I found my way to the other rebels. I still remembered what I read in Blaine's desk and that's how we were able to gain a bit of leverage in our strength and numbers. They've obviously changed tactics, but the main goal and how they want to reach it is basically the same as when I first rummaged through the papers."

Sebastian let out a breath of air, "Well I can certainly see why they want to fly your skin up as a banner Princess. You pretty much pissed every single one of them off and single handedly managed to make a fool out of their leader."

"They underestimated me," Kurt sniffed hautingly.

"Okay, but none of that really explains how you ended up as big as you are."

"There was another leader before me," Kurt explained slowly, "He died during a firefight. He ended up caught in the cross fire and when the dust settled and the ones that attacked us had already gotten out of there, it was too late to save him. He'd lost too much blood and he had known it. Because the next thing we knew he was giving us the usual speal he always did when he felt the need to remind us what we were fighting for. I'd only been with them a year, hardly even a year, and he looked right at me and told me that it was my turn to carry on what we stood for. That it was up to me to keep everyone from killing themselves and each other. He had controlled all of the territory. From here to old California. There's no way I was going to be able to do that by myself."

"So you're the one that settled with the idea for the divisions? They weren't already there and you didn't just decide to replace all of the older people with everyone you knew before?"

Kurt nodded and then scowled when he got where Sebastian was heading with all of this before.

"Of course not. I thought we had already established that I'm not in this for any kind of power. I don't need it and I didn't want it in the first place. But it was a dying wish and no one would hear of anything else. We needed a more stable way to control the areas we had already obtained and so I proposed the idea of districts and everyone trusted me enough to divide them as equally as possible and be able to make the decision as to who would lead what division. Again, I thought I made this clear enough the last time you asked about all of this."

"Hey, you told me who looked over what, you never told me how they actually even started in the first place," Sebastian defended, "I'm finally getting the actual history of this whole thing. And I still don't know how this whole thing even started anyway."

Kurt shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine. I just stumbled upon the rebels and they took me in. That's all I knew and not even the people that have been here longer than I have really know how it was that we came to be as strong as we are now. Or how we were able to stay out of the Warblers sights until..."

"Until you came in and made everyone a target?" Sebastian tossed in, speaking every bit of the truth that kept Kurt awake at night.

"Yeah," Kurt's throat felt dry and cracked, like he was trying to force out each breath and each word after the other, "You're right about that. But would you do any different? You're here right now, would you want to be kept in hiding. Away from the world and not doing a lick of difference...even if it meant that there was a higher chance of people, of kids, dying?"

"Does it really matter what I think? Because I think I hit a nerve there. But I guess we could look at it this way. Would the Warblers eventually find us? Yes, most likely. Especially if they've got a grudge on you and it sounds like they wouldn't take to kindly to themselves if they didn't find you, just so they can regain a bit of their pride that you hurt. Would they kill any of these kids because they left? Most likely they would anyway because they don't care about anyone, especially those who made the decision to break away from their power. So tell me, is any of that really any different from what's happening right now? I mean," Sebastian scoffed, "Who even cares about the fact that you're providing refuge and safety for these people, risking your own life day after day and even at night you're risking your neck for people you don't even know. Who cares that it's giving people the strength to walk away from the Warblers control, weakening them in the process? It's not like any of that matters?"

Kurt glared, "You're the one who said that I was making people a target. Now you're telling me that what I'm doing is exactly what I should be doing? How does that make any sense!?"

Sebastian watched as Kurt glared at him, and attempted not to cringe at the ringing quality Kurt's voice rose to with his anger. He really did not see how puck could be as scared as he is when Kurt's yelling at him or venting out his frustrations because it kind of was more funny than anything to hear Kurt yell from the tops of his lungs. Really, Sebastian was always surprised that he didn't hear dogs howling from the pain it must cause them to hear him.

"I was curious to what it takes to boil your blood," Sebastian admitted, "It's really interesting really. How passionate you are and yet how defensive you are of yourself and everything that you're doing. Are you really that insecure that you need even me to fuel your self-esteem?"

Kurt blinked and wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Is this what you're going to do if the Warblers do come for you and actually succeed? Let them into your head and send you back to being a scared little child that's running from his demons? Because that's exactly what they're going to do and right now it seems to me that they won't even break a sweat doing it either. You'll blow up and defend every step you made, but with every anger fueled rant you send yourself into you are giving them an opportunity to come right back at you and tear you apart. You're too emotional for your own good," Sebastian criticized, "Now that's all good and well when it comes to helping these people, but it's going to get you and everyone else killed. Unless that's your ultimate goal, I suggest you work a little harder on your poker face and not let things get to you so easily."

"Are you seriously giving me advice?" Kurt asked incredulously, "You, of all people?"

Sebastian smirked and Kurt wanted to slap it off of his face.

"Well, it seems that no one else here is challenging you enough. Sure, Santana is badass and I don't think I want to end up in a knife or a gun fight with her because I value my life very much. But I haven't really seen anyone around to question if you're even in the right mindset to be doing all of this. I mean, I'm pretty sure that was Puck's job too. But he's so whipped that it's insane. You have him wrapped around your pinky finger so bad that I really don't see him fighting you too much. Yeah, he's going to be there to make sure that you don't die, but I don't see him questioning your judgement call, even if he suspects that you're a little emotionally unstable. And by a little," Sebastian mentioned sardonically, "I mean a lot. Really, diva fits, even in the best interest, are not something you want to get into."

Sebastian explained further when he saw that Kurt's angry glare was not lessening up, "I talked to Puck while you were having your own little melt down in the communications room. He waved it off and although he is just as concerned as I am that there could be something going on right underneath our noses, he's not going to say anything to you. And right now, I don't think you need someone who's not going to voice any concerns or not push you to make you stronger than what you already are. Because, although I'm most likely going to want to drown myself in a nice whiskey after saying this, you're strong, Kurt. But there has to be more, you have to be more if you're going to stand a chance when the time comes and you're face to face with the Warblers, especially if that Warbler turns out to be Blaine. Do you understand."

Kurt nodded, and motioned for Sebastian to continue.

Sebastian grinned, counting this all as a win on his part, "Which is why I'm going to be the grown up right now and explain to you what Puck and I think. And I'm fairly certain that you've been thinking the same thing and now that Thad has come to threaten you, I think this really makes things real on our part."

Kurt nodded again and motioned for Kurt to continue, hand flourishing in front of him in such a flouncy gesture that had Sebastian grinning.

"We think that the Warblers might be planning to go into Division Six."

Kurt's lips thinned and he spoke up, in an almost relieved tone, "So I'm not the only one. I thought that maybe I was just being paranoid. Over protective over my family, but with Thad," Kurt grimaced and his hands clenched together until his knuckles were white, "I don't think it can be a coincidence." Kurt's eyes widened.

"I-" Sebastian started but cut himself off as Kurt stood up suddenly and began making his way out of the building. He stumbled up and went to catch up with Kurt's pace, "Hey, where do you think you're going. Did you not listen to a thing I just said about being emotional and letting your emotions-"

"Sebastian," Kurt called out, not missing a beat in his footing, "We need to go right now. To the theater."

Sebastian sighed and struggled to keep up, "Do you really think that they're going to call?"

"Blaine loves to gloat," Kurt explained, "Thad was just a part of that, I think. I could be wrong, but at least, if i'm wrong about the call...I'd rather be wrong about that than right about losing Division Six to the Warblers. Are you coming or not?"

Sighing, Sebastian followed behind Kurt and tried not to think about what would need to be done if the division was actually taken. He hadn't thought that far into it, but he didn't doubt that Kurt could stomach letting it go, Sebastian just thought that Kurt had too much heart to do what was best if it came down to letting the division remain under Warbler control.


	5. Nuclear Family

Chapter Five: Nuclear Family

The call did not come that night. Or the night after. Or even the night after that. Not a single call was pulled through for a week after the run in with Thad. Not a single Division contacted the center of it all and the electric energy pulsating from everyone Sebastian came in contact with, including his own, felt too hot and too unstable. Everyone was hanging on that last wire and the current was just becoming too much for them to handle. They continued with the usual meet ups with Santana and Brittney as well as the ones with Sam and Quinn, but each meeting held an underlying questions that no one would ask or could answer.

Travel was out of the question. The one time Kurt suggested it Puck stood his ground and told Kurt that it could not be risked. That there was nothing any of them could do but sit and wait until they heard something. To make any kind of move before they understood the situation was not going to do anything by lead them straight into the hands of the Warblers. Even Sebastian had to agree with Kurt argued that sending out a small group might be the only way to figure out what was happening in the first place. Sebastian didn't say it out loud. He wanted to keep his neck – thank you very much – and Pucks anger had already exceeded the bounds that Sebastian had ever witnessed. All barley contained, the tension in his muscles, the flexing and of his fingers, how they curled into fists before jerking back like daggers.

It didn't last long. The hostility that Kurt and Puck radiated during that one fight. Kurt knew that the safest course of action was to continue to do what they had been the whole time. Word spread quickly that there was no word from the other divisions and when word spread, people panicked. One small, not really a riot, but an uproar and Santana jumping up and taking control, and it was, well, it was not calm by any means, but the fight or flight conditioning was suppressed enough for the time being.

Two weeks later and Sebastian found himself in the same room as Kurt, waiting impatiently for the call. He lounged on the couch, spread out and facing the ceiling, tracing the cracked pattern with the lazy, glossy-eyed look of someone who had done the same action repeatedly until it was not more than a habit. The unfortunate habit of falling asleep on the couch seemed to be a reoccurring pattern that Sebastian could not find it in himself to break. During the early morning to mid-afternoon he was making the rounds with Kurt. When the sun was setting over the horizon, they were both in the room. Every night Kurt fell asleep, hoping to be awakened by the excessive ringing and every night Sebastian followed suit. It was less of him being empathetic and more of the anxiety in the air getting to him. It was hard to ignore when the whole division was just emanating nerves and trepidation.

It would figure. That it would be at the time when their hopes were the most strained that the phone would release a screeching cry of a dying phoenix. They could only hope that their hope would rise from the ashes, rather than remain nothing but smoldering powder of loss and pain.

Kurt jumped from his position on the stuffed chair, long fingers reaching for the phone before they curled around the sleek phone.

"Division 6?" He asked, heart beat pounding in his chest. Sebastian could see that Kurt was visibly shaking, eyes blown wide. When Kurt paled, all color draining from his face, Sebastian knew that it was not Division 6 who answered. Even before the phone call, there was always some sliver of hope echoing in Kurt's eyes, his posture, like he would not let himself go all the way and truly believe that there was no hope. In a sudden moment it was gone. Kurt's shoulders slumped, as if he really was holding the weight of the world and its entire people on his shoulders. For a second he thought Kurt was going to drop the phone in shock, but, if anything, his gripped tightened, the whites of his knuckles showing the strain of tension.

"What do you want," Kurt demanded icily, his voice resolutely not cracking at the edges, "Anderson, what do you want," he repeated after a minute of not being answered.

Shifting, Sebastian hit the speaker button on the phone, so that he could hear both sides of the conversation. He ignored the look Kurt sent him in response and waved for him to continue.

"Kurt, I thought we were past all of these formalities," the voice, Anderson, Sebastian reminded himself, mocked. It wasn't hard for him to remember that voice. The head of all the Warbler meetings, who liked the sound of his own voice nearly as much as he enjoyed listening to people praise and worship him.

"I'm done playing games with you. Now tell me what you want from us."

"I figured you would have figured it out. Still naïve as ever I suppose. Still just a few steps behind me, always trailing behind like a lost pet desperately asking for people to see you. Too bad there was nothing much for them to see."

Kurt's skin flushed under Sebastian's gaze, embarrassed that someone was witnessing the verbal attack he was facing.

"Blaine-"

"There you go Kurt. I was hoping you would be reasonable about all of this. Though I do forget how adorable you can be when your feathers have been ruffled up a bit. Like a kitten attempting to face against the lions."

"You still haven't told me what you want. I have not agreed to anything and I will be anything but reasonable when it comes to my friends and family that you're threatening. Do you understand that? What you're doing is disgusting and if you think I'm going to help you with any of it, you can look again. These people are my responsibility and I will not let you hurt them."

"Thad told me that you had a new friend," Blaine sneered, "With you. I'm interested. Last time I heard you were whoring yourself out. Unless, that's what you're doing. Never knew Sebastian to sink so low as to associate himself with you. I bet he'd laugh about how innocent you were before you were with me. What was it that you used to say? You were such a romantic back then. Something about how the touch of fingertips was the sexiest thing for you?" He laughed, cold and grating against their ears, "Some things really do change."

"Are you almost done with the super villain tirade," Kurt asked, successfully attempting at sounding exasperated with the conversation, "It gets tiresome after hearing the same thing over and over again. Come up with some new material at the very least."

"Would it be too forward of me to say that all I want is you?"

Kurt grit his teeth, jaw clenching, "Well, you have always been known to be pretentious. Why would now have changed anything?"

"I'm being serious. You think I'm not ahead of you? You've always been so self-sacrificing. You will do anything to protect the people you care about, even if it means that you end up with the shitty end of the stick. It's one of those qualities that have always…amused me, about you. I have no qualms with using your softer side against you if that's what it takes for me to get what I want from you. And I do want you Kurt. Back with me, where you belong. Not with those tramps you have lowered yourself to. You never belonged to any of them. I was with you first and I will not deal with anyone taking what it rightfully mine."

"You can't own people Blaine. That is not the way this world works."

"Isn't it? Because I'm fairly certain that I _own_ this world. My word is law, and I will not be defied. I have you and I will not destroy the divisions I have in my control. I always did like Burt and Carole."

At the mention of his father and step-mother Kurt froze, eyes glistening wide and for the first time Kurt looked desperate. He had shoved aside what Blaine was alluding toward, hoping that it was not true. Foolish of him to do so, but he had not wanted to think about it. But Blaine was not hinting at anything anymore. The threat was clear and blatant and there was no way for Kurt to escape its clutches.

"Yes, you heard me correctly. Now, I can't promise that I won't take over your little mess when you are with me, but I can swear, on my word as a gentleman, that they will not be harmed by me or my men."

"Forgive me if I don't go by your word," Kurt replied dryly. Sebastian felt himself admiring Kurt's control, there were already a few choice words that he would not have minded to toss in and spew into Anderson's ears. He reminded himself that there would be a time and a place for that. Listening into the conversation Sebastian would have put his money on that he would not have to wait long for him to have that opportunity, "It's not like you haven't lied to me in the past."

"Bitter does not sound good on you Kurt," Anderson's tone had changed, Sebastian noted. Darker and with the barely concealed rage beginning to surface. Kurt must have recognized it as well because he did not throw out another comeback, instead he waited for Anderson to continue.

No one liked it when Blaine was angry. He was a person that found a reason to yell at anyone. Sebastian remembered Trent, the sweetest, if not annoyingly loyal and dedicated, Warbler they had while he was with them. It was always best to stay on his good side, when it was out and he was not looking for a fight. He was careful though. Always picking the right time to attack. And he never stood up to anyone who would have more power over him. Not as though many would even attempt to disobey or go up against him. They had families and Blaine covered all angles when he threatened people to stay in line.

Sebastian wondered how Kurt managed to push past all of that. Already it was not hard to tell how fiercely Kurt fought for the people he loved. He could never see Kurt lining them up in the line of fire on purpose. And that is exactly how Blaine would make the situation out to be. Sebastian imagined Kurt in the Warblers, forced to sit in like a glorified trophy wife, knowing all the while that if he slipped up, just a toe out of line, that his family could be killed in an instant. He held no fantasies that Blaine did not threaten Kurt with the harm of his family if he were to be disobedient.

Yet, somehow Kurt found it in himself to leave. Yes, his family did manage to go underground. But there was no possible way that Kurt could have known about that. Either because of pure survival instinct, to preserve himself over others came in handy just once.

Then Sebastian wondered if the scar across Anderson's face glared at him when he looked in the mirror. If it was a sign that he had failed. For once in his life he had failed to control someone. That someone, Kurt, had managed to hurt him, not only scar his skin, but to damage his ego. By denying Blaine everything that he wanted from Kurt, he managed to not only piss off the leader of the Warblers, but make him look like a fool who could not even control someone who was seen as nothing more than a pretty face and a whore.

It made it hard for Sebastian to believe that all Blaine could want from them was Kurt. That kind of negative backlash meant that there had to be something more…right? There was no way that Blaine could be that blinded by a hit to his reputation.

"I'll be in contact with you again Kurt. I'll be expecting your immediate surrender in our next little chat."

There was a click signaling the end of the call.

Sebastian glanced over to Kurt who pressed a button to end the call on his line, cutting into silence. He had not moved from his spot on the couch. Elbows at knees, chin resting on his fingers, like he was contemplating a particularly difficult problem. Besides the obvious one at foot.

Kurt wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Can't see why anyone even bothers giving him the time of day," Sebastian said, unsure about how to break the unease.

He expected some kind of comment thrown back. Not actually sure what it would have been, but it would have been biting and full of the attitude that Sebastian could not stand. Instead Kurt threw his head back and laughed, tossing his body across his chair and laughed until there were tears in his eyes and he was choking on air.

"That – that wasn't even funny, at all, Sebastian," He managed between his bought of hysteria, "The only thing that could even be remotely funny about that is that you know that you enamored. Don't look at me like that, you were. By his personality. You probably hung on every word he said. Even if you just wanted to have sex with him. Chalk him up as an attractive guy, with power nonetheless, and you were just as caught up in it. Except you knew what you were getting into," Kurt was calmer, but his voice was still tinged with breathlessness and it held an off-kilter edge that was never there before.

"I didn't know what he really wanted. Whether that was me being naïve and young, I don't give a shit anymore. He was nice to me, and so few people were ever nice to me back then. And I ended up screwed, just like I was in school and just like I am now," he looked at Sebastian for the first time during his tirade, eyes tinged red, "I don't know what to do. I know that if I give into him he's not going to hold onto his work," he laughed and sounded more than a little self-deprecating, "And if I don't…it's just going to be the same thing. And it's going to look like I abandoned them all either way."

"So you're just going to give up?"

Kurt glared, "When the hell did I say that? I'm looking at the two options I have right now."

"Well you obviously can't even be thinking that anyone of us is going to let you go with that fucker, do you?" Sebastian demanded, pushing himself from the couch, the energy in his body needed some way to be released, "Because if you even have one thought about doing that, you'd better get your facts straight Princess."

"Us?"

"Do you really think that Puck is going to let you risk your life? Fuck. Or Santana or Brittney. Quinn hates your fucking guts, but Sam would do anything to keep you here. Princess, even I would kick your ass if you think about sacrificing yourself, or whatever you think that would be, just because we're all in a tight spot right now. Enough of the fucking martyr complex and think about what you can do to stop these pretentious assholes."

Sebastian left Kurt sitting in the room. Which, he thinks might not have been his finest moment, but he was angry and fed up with it all. The door slammed and rattled, but he could not find it in himself to care much about it.

**Author's Note:** Sorry this took so long. I was not expected the back lash I ended getting for senior year. It was mostly emotional and it's just...wow... My goal is to finish this in a month. Because on June 24th I'm gone and heading to Basic Training for the Navy. Which means, for a while, I'm not going to be writing much fanfiction. Or writing in general (which is going to suck, but once I figure out what I'm really going to do with my life, things are going to get so much easier).

And that's enough of my life. Enjoy!


	6. Oh Love

Chapter Six: Oh Love

Puck found Sebastian not long after he stormed out of the room, leaving Kurt behind. He was in the theater, not surprisingly. Slumped across the velvet chairs, long legs stretched forward.

"Kurt called in the leaders to meet up together. The latest any of them will be is two days from now. I have a pretty good feeling that they will not be taking their time to get here. We've never had anything like this happen."

Sebastian didn't look up, just continued to stare up at the stage, eyes following a play Puck could not see.

"Kurt catch you up with what Anderson wanted?"

Puck nodded and leaned down to take a seat next to Sebastian. He rested his elbows on his knees and let his hands swing in the space between his legs.

"He's a piece of work," Puck's jaw clenched, "And I hate to see Kurt pulled back into being scared of that asshole. And there's not much we can do. Kurt has a point about that."

"You can't honestly be saying that Kurt should let himself be taken back, do you?" Sebastian demanded heatedly, "Because I just finished yelling some sense into him because that's exactly what he was thinking about doing. There is no way we can let him put himself straight in the line of fire."

"Hey," Puck cut in, sending Sebastian a look that told him that he should better stop talking unless he wanted to have a bigger problem on his hands, "I never said anything like that. Kurt is my boy, I'm here, just like you are now, to make sure he doesn't take that jump that he can't make. Now I'm not letting Anderson get his hands on Kurt, ever," Puck swore, "But I'm just saying that this is going to be hard to get away with. The odds, well, they're not very good right now, are they? The best scenario is that Anderson kills Divisions 6 and 3, wipes them from the map, and we keep going on the best we can with a hit like that."

"Do you even think Kurt's going to go for that? If that's the best way this can end, do you think he's not going to do something stupid?"

"Oh, don't think I don't know him. He's going to try and do something stupid. But at least we know it's not going to be before everyone gets here. After that," Puck shrugged, "We're just going to have to keep an eye on him. Which means you're going to have to watch your temper. Just because he pisses you off does not mean you can just walk away from him like you did back there. Not when he's like this. We need to be here for him. So I don't give two shits what he says to get you to back off, you don't listen, and you do not storm away. That would be the perfect time for him to slip away and try to be a hero, to try and save our asses."

Sebastian did not say anything, and neither did Puck. It was understood, for both of them, what lengths they would do for Kurt, for everyone that would suffer if their leader were to be killed, taken by the Warblers. Sure, Puck could take up where Kurt left off, but the deaths of two divisions and a leader, people would lose hope and the fight for their cause would be demolished. They would have played right into Anderson's hands and would pay with their lives.

Just as promised the leaders from all divisions arrived within two days' time. Those that were closest traveled by bike. The divisions farther away arrived in jeeps, car-pooling with another division. Puck and Sam met the division leaders at their arrival into the main city. Both were adamant about Kurt staying at the theater, under the supervision of not only Sebastian, but Quinn, Santana and Brittney as well. Kurt's everlasting soft spot for Brittney kept him from protesting against the action. With her right there he did not have the heart to argue against spending time with his girl. Over all, it saved more time than they had to waste.

Santana and Quinn, during the tense two days of waiting for the arrival of the remaining others, would shuttle back and forth between their sectors, to keep all that they could informed. There was a collective wince at separating division leaders from their respectful places, but as there were more people put in charge of the divisions, each sent a representative or two, depending on the amount of open hands, to meet at the city.

The first to arrive were those closest. On bikes Jake and Ryder pulled into the city early on the first day after the initial call. When Sebastian first met Jake it was not hard for him to find the family resemblance he had with Puck. That dynamic had been explained to him by Kurt, and just has he had been told, the brothers were near inseparable, even more so from the long separation and stagnant times.

To be honest, when Sebastian met Ryder the first thing he could think was "jock." The second thought he had about the kids was "stupid jock." After listening to him talk…well…he'd say that the kid at least has his looks, but Sebastian could not quench the overwhelming urge to take a razor to the teenage heart-throb hair that should have been run out of style when the world was overturned to the Warblers.

Judging by Kurt's snide giggle whenever Sebastian just so happened to be thinking these very thoughts (see: every time the kid opened his mouth) he wasn't doing a very good job at hiding just what he thought about Ryder. Oh well, not like he gave much of a fuck to begin with.

He also will never admit to feeling any sympathy for the younger Puckerman when his voice broke asking about the Marley chick Kurt had mentioned as one of the leaders of Division 3. Nor when Puck pulled his brother in for another hug, murmuring reassurances that were likely to help worth a fuck.

Ryder's face upon hearing about the news of Division 3 was more of dumb shock (emphasis on the "dumb"). Apparently there were other friends of their in that division. Some people named Sugar and Joe. For a moment Ryder's eyes flashed with something akin to remorse and guilt, and maybe even regret, when Kurt said that Unique was stationed with them as well.

A story for another time Sebastian decided when Kurt sent sympathetic, yet questioning, glances toward Ryder who frantically was trying not to break down in front of a handful of people he had little to no experience with.

Near mid-afternoon, after the arrival of Jake and Ryder, a definitive new-face arrived. When his arrival was signaled it was more difficult to convince Kurt that he could not go with Sam or Puck. He had demanded that he go with them, persistent that he be there to help. Santana cut into his mini tirade, strong and fierce as Sebastian had ever seen her, and handled Kurt into staying behind, yet again, promising that she would go with the two guys. Sebastian was sure that it was the definitive slump in Kurt's shoulders and dark ringed circles underneath his eyes that prevented Santana from fully unleashing her inner bitch, but there was no stopping her demand that he "get his act together and stop fighting them with every step." There were a string of insults laced in between, but it was basically the jest of her logic.

"What's the big deal about this guy anyway Princess," Sebastian asked, claiming the rest of the couch, his long legs propping up on Kurt's thighs from where he sat at the opposite end, elbow resting on the arm, fist propped against his cheek. It was a testament to how tired he was when he did not immediately push Sebastian's feet off of his body.

Kurt sent a world wary glance Sebastian's way.

"What are you going on about Sebastian?"

Sebastian crossed his arms behind his head to give him some leverage, "This guy. That you were oh so concerned about that you freaked when you heard that he arrived instead of the other guy in charge of Division 7."

"He's a friend," Kurt sighed.

"An ex-boyfriend friend?" Sebastian smirked and Kurt rolled his eyes. A scan around the room showed Quinn dutifully scanning through an old book, definitely not paying any attention to her surroundings. Brittney was sitting in a loose circle with Jake and Ryder, who looked more puzzled the longer they listened to Brittney's musing, but nonetheless, engaged fully in the conversation.

Kurt scoffed, "Is that all you think about? What kind of love life I have? Some people would say that you're having a bought of jealousy."

"As if I would even be interested," Sebastian retorted, "Besides, you can't fault a guy for being curious. Especially when it's in regards to someone who has a stick shoved so far up his ass sometimes it's hard to tell that he's been with anyone ever."

"David is an old friend," Kurt insisted.

"He's a unicorn, just like Kurt," Brittney chimed in, breaking out of the bubble she had created whilst speaking with the two younger boys, "Except he was scared of his horn. Isn't that right? That's why he was angry all of the time."

Kurt nodded and smiled fondly, "But he's all better now that he's accepted the honor of being a unicorn."

Brittney nodded enthusiastically, seemingly satisfied with Kurt's response, and already prepared to engage another in-depth conversation.

"A unicorn," Sebastian asked, quirking a brow.

"David is gay. Only, for most of the time we went to school, he was in the closest, and he had some issues in coming to terms with who he was."

"This wouldn't have to do with why you left your old school for the Warblers, was it?" Sebastian questioned, connecting a few dots.

"How'd you get to that assumption? I don't I've mentioned very much about my first school."

"You mentioned enough," Sebastian shrugged, "It's kind of that clichéd thing right? I bet he was a jock. With a bunch of fancy letters and everything. Football or something equally brainless and all around horrible," he fake shuddered, "Public schools and their blind devotion for football and the teams that suck."

"You don't know if our team was horrible or not," Kurt countered, not trying to hide the mild amusement in his voice.

"Where they any good?"

Kurt shook his head, "No, my freshman year they won only one game. I can't say they won too many the years after that either."

"I rest my case. Anyway," he continued, "Stereotypical jock, in the closet, angry, and then there's you," he added a flourish of his hand to gesture toward Kurt, "All out there and gay. Out and proud. And with that snarky mouth you have, I bet you enjoyed calling them out on their bullshit, insulted their intelligence with words they couldn't even comprehend, pissing them off even more. I bet you anything there had been repressed feeling of attraction that led to a blow out of some sort, escalating violence or some shit. All of which led you straight into the arms of one Blaine Anderson."

"You missed the part where my friends tried to stand up for me before I decided to leave," Kurt added, fingers playing with the loose threads from a hole in his jeans, "Sam ended up with a black eye."

Sebastian scoffed, "One of those too little to late things. Everything about that is so obvious."

Kurt bristled, "Well I'm so sorry my life is such a cliché story for you to laugh at. Pardon me for not having some exciting _new_ background for you to read into," he moved to get up from the couch, but Sebastian's legs prevented him from storming away, "Do you mind getting your fat ass off of me?"

"I do not have a fat ass," Sebastian deadpanned.

"Out of anything I just said you hear the comment about your ass?"

"I'll have you know that I have a FANtastic ass, and I do not take well to people who disagree. I am mortally wounded that you would say such a thing," he sighed melodramatically, lifting a hand over his heart in a feigned swoon.

"I can't even believe you right now. I don't know whether to be pissed at you or laugh about how outrageously dorky you are acting right now."

"It distracted you long enough to prevent you from throwing another bitch fit."

Kurt grimaced and made to comment when he was distracted by the door swinging open. In one excited movement Kurt was off of the couch, Sebastian's legs falling uselessly onto the cushions, and pulling the large figure into an embrace. The other man, although caught off balance, returned the hug with just as much vigor and enthusiasm as he was presented with.

"Holy shit Kurt, are you trying to crush me to death or something," said the man, which, by this point, Sebastian figured was David. Who looked just as Sebastian expected him to. Large, with wide shoulders, and built like a football player should be. He carried himself well enough that it added an attractiveness that would not have existed otherwise to Sebastian.

"I'm just really glad that you're okay. It's been a mess and it's just…well…it's going to get better," Kurt said, side stepping out of the door way, "You've met pretty much everyone here, except Sebastian," he motioned to where Sebastian still laid, stretched out like a cat, content and lazy, on the sofa.

"I've heard something or two about him," David replied, "News travels fast around here," he took in a quick sweep across the room, "Where's the rest of us?"

"They're on their way," Sam answered, coming into the room from behind David, Puck on his heels, "Sue and Beistie will be here in the morning. Tina and Mike will be arriving with them. We shouldn't have to wait too long for them to get here.

Sue Sylvester is terrifying.

That was all the summary Sebastian managed to obtain through his first meeting with the woman. Her first words to Kurt, after he fully explained the situation with Anderson was:

"I don't want to hear anything about surrendering to that overly-gelled hobbit. Porcelain, I want you to realize that surrender is not an option and I will not tolerate such a disgusting form of compliance. I expect more from my Cheerios."

"Coach Sylvester, I'm not a Cheerio."

To which Sue scoffed, "You signed the contract Porcelain. My Cheerios are Cheerios until the time I say they aren't Cheerios. You and those girls out there still belong to me and therefore you will not disgrace the uniform through backing down when intimidation and control tactics are being used against you. Do I make myself clear?"

Kurt had nodded, throwing at a, "Yes Coach," before Sue turned on Sebastian.

"And who is this smirky, rodent-looking infestation we have here?"

"Oh, that's Sebastian, found him in an alley," Kurt answered.

Sue nodded, "Makes sense, keep him off the furniture," and turned toward Beiste.

"Does she like anyone," Sebastian asked, turning toward Kurt, who was, although amused by Sue's comment, shifting his weight anxiously. Sebastian chose to ignore the movement, marking it up to nothing more than nerves. Impending doom tended to be unnerving.

Kurt laughed, more like a giggle, "She likes me. There's Quinn, Santana, Brittney…"

"Anyone who isn't a Cheerio," Sebastian cut in, "And why are you all breakfast cereal to begin with?"

"A Cheerio is a cheerleader," Kurt explained, "I joined for a while, me and Mercedes. Quinn, Santana and Brittney were cheerleaders, basically all their high school career, minus a few quits and cuts every now and then. But Sue does like other people. She just won't admit to it if you ask her. She and Beistie are close I think. And even she kind of likes Shuester and Emma, though those two, especially Mr. Shue, she will swear up and down that she would rather drink bleach than admit to liking him on any level."

The night before the meeting was met with a fitful and restless sleep. For the life of him, Sebastian could not figure out why he could not sleep. He was finally on a bed. After days of falling asleep on the couch, which, comfortable as it may be for the occasional nap, was not so good for long periods of sleep, he would have thought that his body would have welcomed the more comfortable alternative.

Eventually he gave up on any prospect of sleep and made his way into the telephone room, or whatever it was actually called, he didn't bother to remember. Even in the dark of the theater, they turned off all the main lights after dark; Sebastian was able to maneuver his way through the halls with easy management.

A light emanated from the door when he arrived at the end of the hall. He internally sighed, knowing full well who was going to be at the opposite side of the door.

"You know, at some point, you are going to have to sleep," he said as he opened the door, seeing exactly what he expected to see. Kurt lounging across his chair. He wasn't even pretending to be asleep. His eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling, no reaction to Sebastian's entrance, or his unceremonious fall out onto the sofa.

"I'm being serious. How did you even get past Puck? I know for a fact that he double checked this very spot before he passed out in his room. Which is where you should be. Not in his room," Sebastian amended, "But in your room, passed out. Asleep."

"I understand every word your saying. But I want to be not hearing a single word of it," he paused a beat, "I was in my room. But I couldn't fall asleep. So I came here. Not unlike yourself, so I don't want to hear it."

Sebastian sighed, "Why couldn't you sleep."

"A polite question. I wasn't expecting that from Sebastian Smythe."

"Just tell me Kurt. Is it really so hard to answer such a polite question?"

"I'm sorry," Kurt said, almost too quietly, Sebastian had to strain to hear him, "I just…I don't even know why I can't sleep. Nothing felt right. There's a lot on my mind. Pick the answer you like best and take it. Why are you here?"

"My bed didn't feel right. I guess I got used to sleeping in here. Sucks because this couch is seriously uncomfortable."

Kurt scoffed.

"You think I'm joking? You come over here and try to sleep on this thing."

"Careful, someone might think you're being serious," Kurt deadpanned.

Sebastian knew he was playing with fire, but at this point, he decided to say 'fuck it' and dip his hand into the flame, "I'm serious Princess. Get your ass over here, if we're going to hide away in here, might as well. Your womanly virtue is safe and secure with me."

"Not much to keep under lock and key," Kurt commented and Sebastian could hear the forlorn sadness in those words.

Kurt caught Sebastian as someone who used to be a romantic. Who was still probably a romantic underneath those layers of scars and dirty denim. Who would have wanted his first time to mean something, and all times after to mean something. A romantic who ended up with the shitty end of the stick. Falling for Anderson's tricks, not long after leaving the first person he was ever with, and if anything he had heard was correct, Kurt and Sam never went very far, content to take their time. With Anderson, all those times were thrown away when Kurt discovered the deceit and decayed walls of secrecy. And out here, where Kurt was thrown in a new world, one where he became the centerfold, one where he had to make sacrifices that made him feel dirty. Puck talked, more openly than Sebastian would have guessed, about Kurt and some of the things Kurt told Puck. Never in much detail, Puck would never do that, but enough so that Sebastian could understand more from where Kurt was coming from.

There was some movement from the other side of the room. For a moment Sebastian didn't expect Kurt to actually follow through with his offer. The next moment Kurt was standing above him, looking tired and world-wary.

"Are you actually going to move to give me some space, or do you have sudden cold feet?"

Sebastian moved so that his back was to the cushions, leaving his chest facing the open area. Without a word Kurt settled into the given space, comfortably moving into the warm embrace Sebastian offered. Immediately Sebastian maneuvered himself so that he and Kurt held little to no distance between them, his arm instinctively wrapping around Kurt's chest, curling his fingers to intertwine with Kurt's.

"Wouldn't expect you to be the cuddling type," Kurt commented, his voice rough, sounding as if he had been crying.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me Princess."

"Would you mind telling me what brought this on?"

Sebastian shrugged, knowing that Kurt would feel the movement, "It's almost the end of the world, right? As far as we know it. Things are going to change. Whether that means we win or lose, things are going to change. Might as well not let any opportunity pass right on by."

Kurt licked his lips, taking a moment to collect his thoughts, "What kind of opportunity is this?"

"One I'm not used to," Sebastian admitted, "So I'm not too sure what to call it. All I know is that you're obnoxiously bitchy sometimes, but your fiercely loyal, to a fault, and determined, and smart, and you can keep up with me, even at my best. You make me want to admit that you can keep up with me if that means anything. And you don't care about my past. Which, believe it or not, gave me a sigh of relief. And I know enough about your past, and that hasn't deterred any of these thoughts any, so…I figure, why miss out on someone so great."

"How much acid did you swallow to admit to that last part?"

Sebastian chuckled, his rest rising pleasantly from behind Kurt, "Less than I thought I would need."

Kurt hesitated, "Nothing about my past bothers you?"

"Nope. Nothing worse than what I haven't already done. I think we're both on pretty even ground. Though I'm pretty sure your wings would be quite a bit whiter than mine. That pesky Good Samaritan attitude, thrown in with the martyr complex kind of outshines my promiscuity. But I think I can overlook it for the time being. So long as you don't do anything stupid," Sebastian added, and if his grip on Kurt's hand tightened, well, it's not like anyone else is going to over-analyze this one night, no one that mattered anyway.

"I think sleep deprivation looks good on you Sebastian. You're starting to sound like a normal human being with feelings nonetheless."

"I'm blaming you over the lack of sleep Princess. It's all a bitch, but then again, so are you and you haven't deterred me at all, so I guess I'm going to have to find a way to deal with it."

"You think finding me attractive is so hard? Is that what you're saying? That my personality is the one to be so distraught about? Try finding yourself attractive to a smirky asshole who likes to toss back insults and is way too interested in questioning and debating every single move you have made. Oh, and who somehow managed to pull off Santana loving them. How did you even manage that one?"

"We had a connection, what can I say? I'm too irresistible, even for bad ass lesbians."

"I think you got lucky."

"I think you might be right."

There was pause and then, "I never bothered to turn off the light."

Sebastian groaned, "Do you really want to get up and turn it off?"

"Not really."

"Then leave it and go to sleep," Sebastian yawned, "Because I don't know about you, but I don't want to be falling asleep in the middle of this meeting, and I'm pretty sure that would not look good because you're the one who's supposed to be running the damned thing. Presenting your plan and all that bullshit. So go to sleep."

He took the silence that followed as a quiet agreement and Sebastian allowed himself to be lulled into sleep by the gentle rhythm of Kurt's even breaths.

The morning started out just fine. Sebastian woke up, not in the same position as he fell asleep in. for a moment he thought that Kurt had woken up early and decided to let him sleep because he was splayed out on his back, but still on the couch. This observation was wrong, or so he found out when he attempted to sit up and the warm weight on his chest was discovered to be Kurt himself, fingers curled in his t-shirt, legs splayed and intertwined with Sebastian's.

Even the awkwardness with people suddenly feeling the need to flood into the room went just fine. Okay…so it ended up with a minor freak out, courtesy of Kurt, which threw both of them onto the floor in a sleepy heap. Neither of them fully awake, Kurt was red faced and Sebastian, at that point, was too tired to be anything but amused at the display.

Needless to say it was a slow morning. Between giggles and Kurt and Sebastian being behind everyone on the prepared front, it was nearly noon until the meeting actually began.

The meeting went just fine. It started out fine. It ended fine. The plan was simple. Retaliation. One final, desperate front, all of the divisions head to head with whatever the Warblers had at their disposal. They had a strong front.

Half rescue-half full on attack. Groups would be sent into Divisions 3 and 6 to begin relieving the children and older adults to safe and secure camps set along the closest division. They had a feeling that some of the more prominent leaders would be secured within Warbler holding centers, groups would also be formed, once an opening presented itself, to sneak through the lines and rescue as many of those as possible. Risky, but they had to make a move somehow, and it was the safest way possible.

Together they divided up who had the best people for full force and those that would be better used for holding down safety areas, and those that would be best suited for sneaking into Warbler territory. Everyone had extensive knowledge on the people within their divisions and although the meeting managed to drag through the evening, all leaders had a handle on the plan and would be ready to depart in the morning to follow through.

It was quick, but it was efficient. There was no time for slow and picky. There were some kinks, but those could be managed well enough. Nothing was going to be a definite answer to the question "who will win?" They could only hope that retaliation was going to be surprising enough for the Warblers so that they would not be prepared and would be even more rushed than the Rebels were at the moment.

After the meeting left a bitter taste in Sebastian's mouth. He couldn't place where it was coming from. Maybe it had something to do with how Kurt directed the meeting. But he did it all as he should have. Open to discussion. Leaning on everyone working with a collective effort. No one above another. He managed to mediate when things got hot between David and Puck at a moment of weakness on both their parts.

Maybe it sounded like Kurt wouldn't be in the midst of the battle. Like he had another job he was going to handle by himself. But the thought made no sense. Kurt told them where he would be, just as promised. Those of Kurt's division would stay behind, with Kurt, and hold down the city. Their wild card. Where they could offer shelter and medical assistance to anyone who required it. It was agreed all around that they should stay behind if things went wrong and they found themselves at the wrong end of the firefight.

To calm his nerves Sebastian tried to catch Kurt before he turned in. Mostly for a repeat of the other night. He tried Kurt's bedroom first, wondering if he was hiding away until Puck fell asleep. When he couldn't find Kurt there Sebastian went into the telephone room, only to find that empty.

It was when Tina came up to him in the hallway, looking disheveled, her teeth biting at her lower lip, asking where Kurt was, because no one could find him. It was then his nerves began to worry.

Or maybe it was when Puck checked the security cameras to find them turned off when Sebastian began to worry. Because no one knew where he was, and the only thing Sebastian could do was curse Kurt for being stubborn and not listening when he told him, he told Kurt, not to do anything stupid.

Kurt stopped at the edge of the city. Years of slinking through the shadows lead him to his extensive knowledge of all the hidden alleys and back roads that people rarely ventured into. Especially when the sun went down. No one dared run the risk of being caught.

A dark figure penetrated the darkness, and wasn't that just a cliché, Kurt thought, lips involuntarily twitching. The silhouette was shorter, but with broader shoulders, and it really wasn't hard for Kurt to figure out who it was. Just like it wasn't hard for him to know that they weren't alone, no matter what the darkness and lack of shapes told him. This figure would never arrive alone.

"You came," the figure said with glee, unable to contain his excitement. Kurt could now see the details of his face, the scar that skittered across the man's skin.

"I believe there was a deal to be made, and I will make sure that it's all followed through with. We both know how you can be kept to your word, Anderson."

**Author's note:** So I found I can write a 5,000 word chapter in two days! There is legit only two chapters left! I kind of rushed the meeting/morning, maybe more than I originally wanted to, but I like how it turned out. All fluffy and cute Kurtbastian (which, I hope made believable. Slow-build is hard. romance is hard). And I ended it with "oh shit" or, at least, that should be the general consensus regarding this ending.

June 24th is closer than I want it to be (two weeks-yikes!)

And I still want to be involved in fanfiction as much as I can be in these next...5-8 years of service. I'll figure it out.

anyways! hope you enjoyed!


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